Welcome to the latest instalment of Packet Trick Paradise, my regular Ruseletter column on small-packet card magic. Each edition features a new and original packet trick from my notebooks.
This time, I’m sharing a version of Dai Vernon’s “Twisting the Aces” using an Ace, Two, Three and Four of Clubs. This represents another entertaining way to perform the Professor’s most famous packet trick and is, in fact, the fourth variation I’ve published this year; believe it or not, there are more to come! I recently published “Traditional Twist”, “Pasteboard Puppies” and “Crazy Eights” on Marty’s Bag of Tricks, my magic blog. All three of these routines are free to learn. As this is an odd-numbered edition of Packet Trick Paradise, “Twisting the Numbers” is only available to paid subscribers.
If you want to explore the benefits of becoming a paid subscriber to Marty’s Magic Ruseletter, I recently updated the information page on my blog:
Now, that’s enough shameless advertising; onto the new trick!
📋 Quick Reference
Effect Type: Twisting/Reversal Effect
Difficulty: ★★★★☆ (Intermediate)
Duration: 3–5 minutes
Setup Time: Modest (less than a minute or two)
Reset Time: Modest (less than a minute or two)
Props: A blue-backed deck, plus red-backed duplicates of the Ace, Two, Three and Four of Clubs
Key Moves & Principles: Block Turnover, Vernon’s Twisting Motion, Elmsley Count, Underground Elmsley Count, Jordan Count, Alignment Move, Plunger Principle, Tongue Change, Ascanio Spread, Flushtration Count, Minus One Switch, Half Pass
So what exactly is “Twisting the Numbers”? It’s a handling of Dai Vernon’s “Twisting the Aces” using an Ace, Two, Three and Four of Clubs with a surprise kicker featuring colour-changing backs. In effect, it is similar to Fred Kaps’s version (but in method it is entirely different).
The handling is very close to the Vernon original. However, it uses my Tongue Change to make the final two reversals more visual. It also utilises my Minus One Switch to add a clean colour-changing kicker to the end of the effect. These additions don’t make it much more difficult than the original; if you have a smooth and confident Elmsley/Jordan Count, then you should be able to perform this with a little practice.
Here’s what happens:
You display four blue-backed cards: the Ace, Two, Three and Four of Clubs. One by one, and in numerical order, each card magically turns face up in the face-down packet, beginning with the Ace and ending with the Four. However, the Four of Clubs—known as “the Devil’s Bedpost”—behaves differently and refuses to comply. It is left protruding from one end of the packet and, as you push it home, it appears face up at the other end.
You slowly repeat the visual reversal of the Four, taking great pains to emphasise the orientation of the card. Still, it flips face up when pushed through the packet.
As a final surprise, the backs of the cards are shown to have changed from blue to red. All four cards can be examined, as they’re perfectly normal.
Return of The Devil’s Bedpost
My presentation centres on the Four of Clubs being a difficult card to control because it is known by superstitious card players as the Devil’s Bedpost. I’ve long enjoyed presentations based on this fact. If you’d like to learn more about where this nefarious nickname originated, you can read more about it on my blog.
I’ve also previously published an entire edition of Tricks, Tricks & More Tricks on the topic of card tricks with a similar Devilish theme. Many of them also use the Four of Clubs:
Read Tricks, Tricks & More Tricks #3: Satanic Sorcery 👈👿
Now, let’s learn “Twisting the Numbers”.
