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August 13, 1999

Reds and Blacks and Jacks

Robin Robertson

This is an alternative handling of Aldo Colombini's "The Aces are Gone" (Aug. 1999 Linking Ring), which was in turn based on Erhard Liebenow's "Off-Counted" (March 1995 Linking Ring). The routine is very tight as given, but I decided to use the Biddle move to steal out a red and a black at the beginning, which speeds up the first part of the routine. Plus you'll find quite a few differences in the later handling. At the really inconsequential level, I substituted Jacks for Aces, just so that I can say "Reds and Blacks and Jacks".

Effect: 4 reds, 4 blacks, 4 aces. Aces go between reds and blacks. Magic gesture, now only 4 reds and 4 blacks. Mix re Oil-and-Water. Magic gesture and they separate: you show 4 blacks and put them away. But instead of 4 reds, you have the 4 aces.

Set-up: You can openly sort out 4 red "confusers", 4 black "confusers", and 4 jacks to the bottom of the deck: reds then blacks then jacks from the face back. For me, it's even easier as I earlier sort out 8 reds and blacks (and sometimes jacks as well) and do Follow the Leader. I take away 4 reds and 4 blacks for now and can put them back on the face of the deck. Then I do Oil-and-Water followed by Anti-Oil-and-Water. Then I can move back to the deck for this trick.

Working:

"Now let's use a little more imagination. Imagine the four Blacks are Oil, and the four Reds are Water. We'll mix Oil and Water."

"So the cards alternate in color."

"And Jacks."

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