This is my go-to sandwich trick when performing in casual situations. I've designed it so that I can perform the trick standing—a situation I often find myself asked to perform in. You also don't need a table to perform "Backlash Butty", which makes it an extremely practical routine. The trick has three distinct phases, each more impressive than the last.
Although it uses a set-up, unlike "Sherlockian Sarnie", it's a minor one. The explanation for this routine is rather lengthy, but it usually takes me less than five minutes to perform the trick from start to finish.
Description of the effect - TK
The final phase of this routine is actually an old Al Leech trick called "Double Deuce". It can be found in 52 Amazing Card Tricks, which was compiled by W.F. (Rufus) Steele and first published in 1949 (Steele, 1949, p.20).
The Depth Illusion was developed by Dai Vernon. Ed Marlo gave it the name “Tilt” and discovered many new and interesting applications for the move.
The Alignment Move is credited to Ted Annemann, Dai Vernon and Henry Christ.
I learned the illogical switch used in Phase 2 from "Triple Sandwich" by Mike Davis, published on The Session 2007 DVD. I’ve also seen the French master Bebel use similar switching techniques.
Vernon’s Key Card Placement technique can be found in Dai Vernon’s Ultimate Secrets of Card Magic by Lewis Ganson (Ganson, 1967, p.159). The way I use the technique is slightly different to the way Ganson describes it in the book, as I’ve combined the selection and replacement of the card into a single event. This is much more efficient and avoids having to use the stereotypical “pick a card, any card” gesture that often elicits the dreaded “I’ve seen this trick before” response from a spectator.
Remove the two black Queens and any indifferent card from the pack. (These instructions will assume that the card you're using is the Nine of Diamonds. However, any card will do, although I think it is best to avoid using a court card.)
Sandwich the face-down Nine between the two face-up Queens. Put this three-card packet in your left-hand jacket pocket. The cards should be lying on their long edge, the faces of the Queens closest to your body.
When you're ready to perform the trick, place the pack in your left-hand jacket pocket on top of the three cards already in there. The set-up should now be on the bottom of the pack, and, most importantly, the Queens should be face-up in relation to the rest of the cards.
Offer to perform "one last trick" and remove the pack from your pocket, being careful not to flash the face-up card on the bottom.
This trick relies heavily on the Hindu Shuffle. If you're not familiar with this technique, I recommend you watch this video tutorial made by the fine folk at Dan and Dave Industries.
Perform any shuffle that retains the set-up on the bottom of the pack; I like to perform a Centre Hindu Shuffle. Now perform a regular Hindu Shuffle and ask a member of your audience to call out "stop" whenever he likes. When he does this, stop the shuffle and use your left thumb to side-jog the card on top of the packet in your left hand. Raise your hand to chest height and instruct your participant to remember the suit and the value of his card.
Pull the side-jogged card flush with the packet. Drop the cards remaining in your right hand on top of the selected card, burying it in the centre of the pack but also secretly positioning the three-card set-up directly above it. Square up the pack.
Make a magical gesture, then spread through the cards until you reach the first face-up Queen. Carefully up-jog this card before pushing over a block of cards, concealing the second face-up Queen. Continue spreading through the pack until you reach the very last card. Square up the pack, keeping the Queen out-jogged.
Hopefully, your audience will jump to conclusions and assume that you've messed up (because the Queen is not his selected card). Pause a beat, then say, “Oh, this isn't your card. This is one of the glamorous assistants that help me with my card tricks.”
Push the Queen flush with the pack, then make another magical gesture. Spread through the pack, but this time keep going until you reveal the second face-up Queen.
“Look, her sister has joined her. They appear to have found a single playing card. Wouldn't it be amazing if that was your card?”
Cut all the cards above the first face-up Queen to the bottom of the pack. Out-jog the face-down card between the Queens and rotate it face up with the aid of the first and second fingers of your right hand.
“The Nine of Diamonds, that's a good one. Some people call it the Curse of Scotland...”
If your audience wasn't convinced you had screwed up before, they'll definitely believe it now. Wait for someone to point out that this isn't the selected card, then say the following:
“Well, that's not my fault. My assistants got it wrong, you can't blame me for their mistake. Shall we give them a second chance before I recycle them?”
Place the Nine face up on top of the Queens, then establish a little finger break below the top four cards of the pack as you square up. Remove all the cards above the break in right-hand End Grip and drop the talon in your left-hand jacket pocket. Transfer the packet into left-hand Dealer's Grip.
Situation Check: You should now be holding a four-card packet. The top card is the face-up Nine of Diamonds below which are the two face-up Queens. The selection, which is face down, is hidden on the bottom of the packet.
Displace the Nine to the bottom of the packet, rotating it face down in the process; do this by grasping the packet from above in right-hand End Grip, then use your left thumb to drag the Nine to the left. Use the cards remaining in your right hand to flip the Nine face down. Allow the card to fall into your left palm, at which point you should drop the right-hand cards on top of it. All of the cards should end up in left-hand Dealer’s Grip.
Move the face-up Queen, now on top, to the bottom of the packet, keeping it face up.
Perform a Mini Ascanio Spread with the packet to display a single face-down card between the two face-up Queens (this step is optional).
You're now going to set the packet for a Colour Change that I call the "Packet Plunger Push Change". Transfer the packet to left-hand Dealer's Grip and turn it face down. Use your right fingertips to in-jog the top card of the packet by approximately an inch, exposing the face of the Nine. Contact the face of the Nine with the tips of your second and third fingers. Position the pad of your right thumb on the short edge of the in-jogged card. Move your hand forward, maintaining a slight downward pressure as you do so. Stop pushing when your right thumb hits the two cards below the out-jogged Nine. You've just performed the Alignment Move on the packet.
Grasp the near end of the packet with your right hand, fingers on top and thumb below. Release the packet from left-hand Dealer's Grip and, at the same time, rotate your right hand palm up. Re-grip the packet in left-hand Dealer's Grip. Make sure to position the packet so that the top left-hand corner of the out-jogged Nine contacts the pad of your left thumb. Use your right fingertips to push the face-up Queen on top of the packet flush with the out-jogged Nine. The left thumb should act as a stopper to ensure that the two cards are perfectly aligned.
Still holding the packet in Dealer's Grip, turn your left hand palm down. Temporarily grip the packet by its centre with your right hand, thumb on top and fingers below. Let go of the packet with your left hand, and move it under the cards, so that you can re-grip the packet in left-hand Dealer's Grip. Note: During this readjustment, the packet stays in the same relative position in space as your left hand moves around it.
Situation Check: You're now holding a four-card packet in left-hand Dealer's Grip. The Nine of Diamonds is face up and in-jogged by approximately an inch. Below the Nine is the face-up selected card. Both of the Queens are face down; one is on the top of the packet and one is on the bottom (in-jogged and aligned with the face-up Nine).
Apply pressure to the packet by squeezing it between your left fingers and thumb. This should cause the cards to bend widthwise. Contact the top card of the packet with your second and third fingertips, applying a gentle downward pressure. Rest the pad of your right thumb on the short edge of the two in-jogged cards.
To activate the change, push the in-jogged cards flush with the packet (you must do this quickly and with a reasonable amount of force). Due to the Plunger Principle, this will cause the face-up selected card to shoot out of the front of the packet, leaving it out-jogged by about an inch. This creates the illusion of the Nine of Diamonds transforming into the selected card as it is pushed it through the packet.
Strip the out-jogged selection from the packet and hold it in your right hand, thumb on top and fingers below. Flip the packet of cards in your left hand face up with the aid of your right fingertips (the card being held in your right hand shouldn’t stop you doing this). Drop the selected card on top of the packet and immediately perform a Mini Ascanio Spread to display three cards: the two black Queens and the selection. Strip out the double held in right-hand End Grip and replace it on the bottom of the packet.
Square up the cards and establish a little finger break above the bottom card of the packet (the Nine of Diamonds); I use a Pinky Pull Down to achieve this. Re-grip the packet from above in right-hand End Grip, transferring the break to your right thumb.
Slide the top card (the selection) into left-hand Dealer's Grip, flipping the card face-down as you do so. Immediately align the Nine with the bottom card of the packet, then release the break, so that the Nine forms a double with the selected card. Turn your left hand palm down to flash the face of the selection one last time.
Deposit the two face-up Queens on top of the double card in your left hand, in-jogged by about an inch. Perform the Alignment Move on the double card being held in left-hand Dealer's Grip. Your audience should believe that the out-jogged card is the selection when, in reality, you've just switched it for the Nine. Using your right thumb and fingers, grip the packet by its inner right-hand corner, thumb on top and fingers below. Release the packet from left-hand Dealer's Grip; this will allow you to retrieve the pack from your left-hand jacket pocket.
Pull the out-jogged card onto the pack using your left thumb. Immediately perform a Charlier Cut (one-handed cut) to bury the apparent selection in the middle of the pack.
Transfer the packet in you right hand into left hand Cradle Grip; the packet is held above the pack at an angle by your left thumb, which rests on the packet's left long edge, your index finger, which curls up over the short front edge of the packet, and your middle finger, which contacts the right long edge of the packet.
Video Tutorial: You'll need to perform a Charlier Cut twice during this trick. A one-handed cut is a fundamental flourish that all aspiring magicians should master, so this is a skill well worth acquiring if you cannot perform a Charlier Cut already. Luckily, this video from Dan and Dave Industries should help you learn this impressive move in no time at all.
Transferring the cards into Cradle Grip in this way allows you to re-grip the packet from above in right-hand End Grip. Using your left thumb, pull the top face-up Queen onto the pack. Drop the two cards remaining in your right, as one, on top of all.
Situation Check: The two Queens are face up on top of the pack; the selected card is sandwiched face down between them.
Make a magical gesture, then spread over the top three cards of the pack to reveal a single face-down card between the two face-up Queens. Out-jog this card and offer it to your spectator. As he turns the card face up, and everyone begins to react, you're going to prepare the cards for the second phase of the trick.
Square up the pack, catching a little finger break below the top three cards of the pack. Lift up all the cards above the break in right-hand End Grip. Move the packet to your right. At the same time, contact the top face-up Queen with your left thumb, pulling it onto the top of the pack. Make sure you retain a little finger break between this card and the rest of the pack as you do this. You will be left holding a double card in right-hand End Grip; place it on top of the pack. Convert the little finger break into a Tilt break by making it bigger.
Take back the selected card from your spectator and pretend to insert it into the middle of the pack. What you actually do is slide the card into the break. The big break between the three-card packet and the rest of the pack creates the illusion of depth, which makes it look like you're pushing the section into the middle of the pack when it is actually being inserted fourth from the top. Square up the cards and, as you do this, drop the break.
Repeat the magical gesture and spread over the top three cards to again show a single face-down card between the two face-up Queens (this is an indifferent card). Pause a beat to let this visual register, then square up and establish a little finger break below the top four cards of the pack.
Lift all the cards above the break off the pack. Slide the top Queen onto the pack leaving it side-jogged. Turn your right hand palm up to display the face of the selected card. Turn your hand palm down again and immediately pull the top card of the packet onto the face-up Queen on top of the pack. Keep your left thumb in contact with this card as you straighten your thumb; this will cause the face-down card to become angle-jogged. Clamp this card in place by putting the double card in your right hand on top of it (the double should be slightly side-jogged to the right).
If you've done this correctly, the lower right hand corner of the card should be trapped between the single face-up Queen on top of the pack and the face-down selection (hidden beneath the face-up Queen on top). Move your right thumb to the face of the double card to keep everything in place.
Situation Check: A face-down indifferent card is angle-jogged between the two face-up Queens, who are both side-jogged to the right. The selected card is hidden below the top face-up Queen.
Pinch the two Queens between the fingers and thumb of your right hand. Your thumb should contact the face of the uppermost Queen and your fingers should touch the back of the lowermost one. Move this “mini fan” to your right. Thumb the angle-jogged card onto the top of the pack and, without hesitation, perform another Charlier Cut.
While everyone is looking at your left hand cutting the pack, move your right thumb to the right by about half and inch. This will expose the face-down card between the two face-up Queens. However, no one will notice this small motion as everyone will be looking at the larger action of the one-handed cut.
“Your card is going to disappear from the pack and reappear between the two Queens. Look, it's already happened!”
Tilt the three-card fan held in your right hand towards your body to display the face of the selected card to your audience. Bring the fan to the top of the pack and clamp your thumb on top of the face of the selection. Move your right hand back to its original position, leaving the face-up selection behind on top of the pack.
As your right hand moves back, turn it palm up and extend your arm towards your spectator, so that he can take the two face-up Queens from you. This marks the end of the second phase of the trick.
Turn the selection face down. You're now going to shuffle the cards to apparently lose the selected card in the pack. Perform a Hindu Shuffle by undercutting approximately half the cards. As you move the right-hand packet over the left hand, secretly grasp the top few cards between the tips of your right thumb and second finger. Maintain a break between this block of cards and the rest of the packet held in your right hand.
Start stripping and dropping packets as you normally would do during a regular Hindu Shuffle until you reach the break, at which point you slap all the remaining cards on top of the stock in your left hand. Even though the cards have been legitimately shuffled, the selection is still on top. Repeat this controlled shuffle for a second time and follow it up with a good in-the-hands false cut.
Turn the pack face up and begin a regular Hindu Shuffle. Instruct your spectator to call out "stop" whenever he wishes. When this happens, stop shuffling and ask him to drop one of the Queens face down on top of the cards in your left hand. As soon as he's done this, drop the cards remaining in your right hand on top of the left-hand packet.
Turn the pack face down and spread through the cards until you reach the face-up Queen. Catch a break below the first face-down card below this card (this is the selected card). Cut, or Double Cut, all the cards above the break to the bottom of the pack; this transfers the selection to the bottom of the pack and the face-up Queen second from bottom.
Repeat the exact same Hindu Shuffle replacement procedure as before. However, this time get the spectator to drop the Queen face up on top of the left-hand stock.
Situation Check: Due to the clever Hindu Shuffle replacement technique, the selected card is now between the two face-up Queens, even though your spectator appeared to have complete control over where the two Queens were placed in the pack.
To finish, make a final magical gesture and spread through the cards to reveal a single face-down card between the two face-up Queens. Cut the three-card sandwich to the top of the pack and transfer it into your right hand. Instruct your spectator to take the face-down card and turn it face up to reveal that it is the selected card once again.
As is the case with the previous two tricks in this manuscript, you end with a clean pack.
Resetting is also a breeze. As the applause is dying down, or the stunned silence is wearing off, use the standard sandwich loading technique to secretly place a face-down indifferent card between the two face-up Queens.
Place the pack into your pocket before you take the selection back from your spectator. When you notice that he's still holding his selected card, act as if you made a mistake and go back to your pocket to retrieve the pack. Thumb the top three cards off the top of the pack and leave them in your pocket as you remove the cards. Have the selected card replaced in the pack and give the cards a quick shuffle. You are now reset.
A smooth execution is the key to performing this trick well, along with good Hindu Shuffle technique.
Each phase of the routine has been designed to flow directly into the next. However, you don't have to perform all three phases at once. You can stop after Phase 1, or even completely skip Phase 2 and just perform the first and third phases. You could also take elements from this trick and incorporate them into your own sandwich routine.
When performing at a table, it is unnatural, as well as a little uncomfortable, to use the Hindu Shuffle for the selection and replacement of playing cards. I also tend to agree with David Ben, who said in one of his instructional video:
“Too much magic, I believe, is performed in the hands when there’s a table present because anytime the deck can be out of your hands, or in somebody else’s hands, it increases the power of the magic.”
— David Ben
When I’m in this situation, I modify the handling to use Dai Vernon’s Key Card Placement (Ganson, 1967, page 159) as follows: with the three-card set-up on the bottom of the pack, cut approximately twelve cards to the bottom, and hold a little finger break between these cards and the set-up.
Cut small packets of cards from the top of the pack until your spectator says, “stop”. Instruct him to, “take a peek at the top card of the pile”. Once he’s done this, lift all the cards above the break and drop them on top of the selected card, which positions the set-up directly above the selection. Drop the final packet on top.
This clever placement technique hides the fact that the bottom of the pack is placed on top of the selection.
Hold your palm-down flat hand over the tabled pack and slowly turn it palm up. Reveal the first face-up Queen, then return the pack to the table. Repeat the dramatic gesture as before, then spread through the cards to reveal the second face-up Queen. Continue as described in the instructions above.
For the final phase I also change things to take full advantage of the table. When I apparently lose the selection in the pack, I control it to fourth from the top (run three cards, in-jogging the next and shuffle off. Form a break at the in-jog and shuffle to the break).
Holding the pack face up, start dealing cards to the table until your spectator says, “stop”. Have him place one of the Queens face down on top of the face-up pile. Drop all of the cards in your hand on top and pick up the pack.
Turn the pack face down and spread through the cards until you spot the face-up Queen. Spread seven cards past the Queen and catch a little finger break below them as you square up. Cut, or Double Cut, all the cards above the break to the bottom of the pack.
Deal cards into a pile as before until instructed to stop by your spectator. Have him place the second Queen face-up on top of the pile. Drop the cards remaining in your hand on top.
Spread through the cards as you say: “Wouldn’t it be amazing if there was one card between the Queens? Oh, there’s one-two-three-four-five-six-seven, we’ll have to get rid of a few.”
Perform two Down Under Deals, or get you spectator to do this, to leave a single card between the Queens; this card will be the selection. (This idea is taken from the finale of "Sherlock Holmes Vs. Moriarty" by Aldo Colombini.) Although this additional dealing procedure lengthens the trick, it seems to strengthen the impact of the final reveal.
This is a healthy sandwich that is also full of flavour.