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:

• In any case, turn the deck face-up on the table and cut-off half or so (just cause Biddles are cleaner with less cards). Count off 4 reds into your left hand, Biddling either the 2nd or the third, then lay the 4 (?) card packet down on your left, saying simply "Reds". Do the same with the "Blacks", to the right of the reds with some space in between. Finally fairly count off the "Jacks", which go in the middle. Drop the remained of the FU cards on the other pack, then turn FD and push to the side.
  
  
• Drop the red packet on the jacks, then both on the blacks, saying "Reds and Jacks and Blacks".
  
  
• Magic gesture, then reverse count the top 4 cards into the right hand, actually counting 2 as 1 on the count of 2. Casually display a red on the bottom as you set them down on the table. "Four Reds."
  
  
• Spread the remaining 5 cards as 4, holding the last 2 as one. "Four Jacks should be next." Pull the bottom card out and turn FU on top. "But these are Black". Flip face-down again, then turn over the packet and EC. "4 Blacks, no Jacks." Lay FU on table.
  
  
• Pick up the FD red packet. As with the black cards, pull the bottom card out and turn FU on top. "Reds." Turn FU and EC: "4 Reds." Turn the packet FD and drop on top of the deck.
  
  
• Pick up the blacks, turn FD and bottom-spread as 4, holding the top 2 together as one. Take the top card off the deck and put outjogged on top of the 4 (?) blacks. Then the next card from the deck between the 1st and 2nd, the next between 2nd and 3rd, and one more between the two bottom blacks. Square up everything.

"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."

• Now turn the packet face-up and Hamman Count to show Reds and Blacks alternating. Black, Red, Black, Red, Black (yes, Hamman Switch on this one), Red, Black, Red, Black. By the end you'll have counted 9 cards, but no one notices as you're just showing that they alternate in colors.

"So the cards alternate in color."

• Turn cards FD. Make a magic Gesture, then deal the top 4 cards on the table. Use the Olram to show the left hand cards to be all black. "Blacks." Simply hold the last two together as on in the left hand. Immediately scoop up the blacks from above with your right hand and drop on the deck. Reach over and turn cards on table FU.

"And Jacks."

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