🃏🌴 Packet Trick Paradise #16: Pocket Aces

Learn how to steal a spectator’s Heart! A no-palm approach to Card to Pocket. ❤️

Welcome to the latest edition of Packet Trick Paradise, my long-running column on small-packet magic. In each instalment, I share an original packet trick from my personal notebooks. Today, I’m sharing an interesting approach to the Card-to-Pocket plot that doesn’t rely on palming.

Quick Reference

• Effect Type: Card to Pocket

• Difficulty: ★★★☆☆ (Intermediate)

• Duration: 2–3 minutes

• Setup Time: Modest (less than a minute)

• Reset Time: Modest (less than a minute)

• Props: A deck of playing cards

• Key Moves & Principles: Card control, Mini Ascanio Spread, Elmsley Count, double lift, three-as-four Elmsley Count

Image Credit: Marty’s Magic Ruseletter.

Here’s what happens:

Gwendolyne chooses a card, which is lost in the deck. You perform “Twisted Logic” for her and, once all four cards have turned face up, you offer to show her another trick with the four Aces.

The Ace of Spades goes into the outer breast pocket of your jacket. You give the other three cards a gentle shake, and somehow the packet contains four cards again. The top card is turned over: it’s the Ace of Spades. The card has jumped from your pocket back into your hand.

You repeat this with the Ace of Clubs. It goes into your pocket, but also mysteriously returns to the packet.

Gwendolyne holds the four Aces sandwiched between her palms. You gently shake her hands and say, “I’ve stolen your Heart!” She deals the cards onto the table, and there are only three: the Spade, Diamond and Club. You slowly draw a card from your pocket—it’s the missing Ace of Hearts!.

You offer to repeat the feat with the Ace of Diamonds, which is placed between Gwendolyne’s hands. With another gentle shake, you produce the Ace of Diamonds from your pocket. Gwendolyne looks confused. She can still feel a card between her palms. Before she looks, you ask her to think of her chosen card, then apparently read her mind and name it aloud. She turns over the card she holds—it’s the very one you just named!

This idea has been rattling around in my head for years, so I thought it was time I published it. More recently, I developed this particular handling to take full advantage of an extra card needed for a five-card version of Dai Vernon’s “Twisting the Aces” called “Twisted Logic”. Since “Pocket Aces” is designed to be performed directly after this trick, I’ve included a link to its instructions in the “Pocket Aces” write-up, so that you can learn both.

So long as you’re comfortable with the Elmsley Count, the trick is relatively easy to perform. Personally, I wouldn’t bother having the selected card signed, but you can do this if you want to eliminate the idea of a duplicate card.

I also think it is a good idea to perform “Twisted Logic” and “Pocket Aces”, then follow with another four-Ace trick to create a short three-card set around the effect (I often perform Dr. Daley’s Last Trick as the third item in the set, unsurprisingly). Oh, and the best thing about this routine is the “I’ve stolen your heart!” line, which is sure to get a smile (or even a giggle) from most spectators. ❤

I hope you enjoy learning, practising and performing this routine.

Yours magically,

Marty