Jacks Wild

Professing to demonstrate a gambler's sleight, you repeatedly deal three jacks to a spectator. Offering to deal him the four jacks, you deal him the four aces instead.

Secretly take the four aces and alternate them with four indifferent cards, placing the aces first, third, fifth, and seventh. Place this set- up on four indifferent cards, and place all face upwards at the bottom of the pack.

Now arrange the jacks so that they are in the following order from the top of the deck down: jack of spades, jack of diamonds, jack of clubs, any card, jack of hearts, and so on.

1. Bring the conversation around to gamblers' sleights, explaining that although you are not an authority on matters of this kind nevertheless you have been shown the sleight known as the second deal and that you will demonstrate it.

2. Take the pack, saying, "See if you can catch me when I deal the second card." Deal the top card to a spectator, the next to yourself, the third to the spectator, the fourth to yourself, the fifth to the spectator. Slide your next card, the sixth, under the two before you, pick up all three, and replace them on the deck.

"Did you see the second deal?" you inquire. "I gave you three jacks." Turn his cards face up on the table, showing two blackjacks on top of a red jack. Slide the top black jack under the other two, pick up all three, and place them face downwards on the pack.

3. "I'll do it again." Repeat the deal, and he will again have two black jacks and a red jack. Since the red jack is below the two blacks each time, it is not noticed that it is the other red jack. Again slide the top black jack under the other two, and replace them face down on the pack.

4. "Listen and you'll hear the second card as it slides from under the top card," you suggest. "It makes a hissing sound." Repeat the deal once more. Show that the spectator has the three jacks, pick them up, and drop them face downwards on the pack.

5. "They tell me it takes twenty years to develop a good second deal," you comment. Drop both hands to your sides and grasp your chair, hitching it forward as if to make yourself more comfortable. Under cover of this natural action, turn the pack over with your left thumb. Bring it up into view, the reversed cards uppermost.

6. "I'll deal a regular poker hand this time," you continue, "and I'll try to give you all four jacks." Deal the cards in the ordinary manner. When he turns his cards, he finds the four aces!

"Some day," you say, "I'm going to find out how the gamblers do that!"

While everyone's attention is centred on the four aces, drop your hands under the table top and turn over the two remaining reversed cards so that the pack is in its regular condition.