A royal flush in Spades is shown and one card is selected. This card is placed under an envelope on the table after a magical gesture the envelope is moved to one side and a large hole is seen to have appeared in the center of the selection. The envelope is opened and the missing center falls out!
The following is my solution to a problem (Hole Card Problem) posted by Lennie Darro on his web. It is also based on a solution of the same problem posted by Mark Daynes of Norwich. The differences are that I do not use any duplicate, I have eliminated a Turnover Pass and everything ends clean.
From any deck of cards remove a royal flush in Spades (or any suit as a matter of fact), and you need to cut a hole in the KS (an inch and a half or so in diameter will do). Place the cut-out portion of the KS into a small manila type envelope, the type that a playing card only just fits into. Set the royal flash in this order from the back:
10S, JS, QS, holed KS, AS.
PERFORMANCE
Show the envelope and leave it on the table. Display the royal flush face up between your hands with the cards slightly fanned so that you can show both sides of the spread without revealing the hole on the KS (you can even remove the cards from the deck, without exposing the hole in the KS).
Square up the packet and turn it face down. Casually, but openly, remove the bottom card (AS) and place it to the top bringing the KS at the face of the packet. Now you will force the KS with a very easy and illusive force. You’ll fool everyone with this force! Your palm-up right hand, thumb on top, fingers underneath, takes the top and the bottom cards at the same time, moving them to the right until they are free from the packet and places them back to the bottom of the packet. The top card covers the hole on the KS. Do not try to hide the fact that your right hand is taking two cards each time. Just do it. Do it again and again, fairly rapidly, and ask a spectator to stop you whenever he likes. (You are giving the illusion of shuffling the cards but the KS will remain on the bottom.)
When you’re told to stop, with your right hand move the bottom card (KS) to the right for about an inch or so without revealing the hole. With the right hand pick up the envelope on the table and let it lay on your fingers of your outstretched palm. Place the envelope under the packet of cards so that your right thumb can rest on top of the protruding ace with the hole in it. Now in one action take the KS and the envelope while turning your right hand palm down. Place them both on the table so the envelope covers the hole in the card.
Flip the remaining of the cards face up and spread them to show the cards they could have stopped you on and thus emphasizing the selection of the KS (is the card missing so it was the obvious selection).
After your favorite magical gesture, lift the envelope and show the hole on the card. Tip the envelope and drop the missing piece to conclude a very interesting effect.
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