Card College — Volume 1

A Complete Course in Sleight-of-Hand Card Magic

1995
Written by Roberto Giobbi
Work of Various
250 pages (Hardcover), published by Hermetic Press
Illustrated with drawings by Barbara Giobbi-Ebnöther
Language: English
154 entries
This publication has been reviewed by
Cover photograph
Creators Title Comments & References Page AA Categories
Roberto Giobbi Thanks
iv
Roberto Giobbi Dedication
x
Juan Tamariz Foreword
xi
Roberto Giobbi Introduction to Volume 1
xiii
Roberto Giobbi The Art of Performing Magic with Cards
  • A Personal Note
  • How to Get the Most from this Book
  • The Best Way to Learn from this Book
  • A Comment on the Illustrations
  • On the Terminology
  • Thinking Beyond What is Immediately Required
  • Art and Expression in the Handling of Cards
  • How Much Theory is Necessary?
  • The Path of the Master
 		1
Roberto Giobbi A Brief History of Playing Cards
Related to 5
Roberto Giobbi Instruments and Tools The Hands
  • Hand Care
The Playing Cards
  • Card Decks
  • Card Size
  • The Finish
  • Face and Back Designs
  • The Card Case
  • Treating the Cards
  • General Remarks
The Close-up Pad
  • Pad Size
  • Material
  • Color
 		8
Roberto Giobbi Fundamental Techniques introduction
 		13
Dealing Position
  • open dealing position
  • straddle dealing position
 		15
The End Grip
  • open end grip
  • covered end grip
 		17
Elevated Dealing Position
18
Squaring the Deck
19
The All-around Square-up honest
 		20
Giving the Deck a Complete Cut
21
Spreading the Cards in the Hands
21
Outjogging Cards as They are Spread between the Hands
23
Dribbling Cards
24
Dealing Cards
24
Dealing Cards Face Down - The Draw Method
25
Dealing Cards Face Up - The Stud Method
26
The Swing Cut
27
Roberto Giobbi The Break introduction
 		28
The Little-finger Break
28
Forming a Little-finger Break Under the Top Card - Two-handed Method
29
Forming a Little-finger Break Under the Top Card - One-handed Method
30
Forming a Little-finger Break Under Multiple Cards
31
The Thumb Break
32
The Step
33
The Riffle also while holding break
 		34
The Ribbon Spread
35
Roberto Giobbi Overhand Shuffle Techniques, Part 1 introduction
 		37
The Overhand Shuffle
39
Running Single Cards
42
Control of the Top and Bottom Cards
  • Control of the Top Card
  • Control of the Bottom Card
 		43
Controlling the Top Stock of the Deck - The Injog Shuffle
44
Controlling the Bottom Stock
47
Jean Hugard, Roberto Giobbi, Arthur Finley Thought Stealer spectator spells name of his thought of card, progressive set-up
Inspired by 49
Bob Veeser, Larry Jennings The Spectator Cuts the Aces
Also published here 51
Roberto Giobbi False Cut Techniques, Part 1 introduction
 		55
An Optical False Cut from the Hand
57
The False Swing Cut uncredited, for credit information see 2004 reference
Related toVariations 58
A Simple False Cut
59
Friedrich W. Conradi-Horster, Jay Ose A Triple False Cut (should really be credited to Jay Ose, I don't think the Conradi precursor - see reference - is close enough DB)
Related to 60
The Slip Cut from Dealing Position
61
Hat Trick Magician cuts to three mates of three previoulsly tabled random cards
 		62
Nick Trost Court Card Conclave twelve court cards pair themselves
VariationsAlso published here
  • in "3 Pet Secrets" (Nick Trost)
 63
Roberto Giobbi Card Controls Introduction
 		65
The Overhand Shuffle Control
67
U. F. Grant The "Whoops!" Control bold, but clever method
Related to 68
The Diagonal Insertion into squared deck, or into fan
 		69
The Peek Control including a method for letting the spectator peek
 		72
Dai Vernon The Post-peek Overhand Shuffle Control
Related to 74
Roberto Giobbi Peek Check Points selling peeked card as thought-of card
 		74
Edward Marlo A Peek Control for Two Cards
75
Dai Vernon The Multiple Peek Control
76
Ken Krenzel, Roberto Giobbi The One-card Middle Pass
77
Various Other Controls reference list of different controls in the CC-course
 		79
The Shamus Card chosen card is found in the deck by a randomly determined shamus card
 		80
Karrell Fox The Question is... the "point" of a ribbon spread question mark is the chosen card
 		81
Roberto Giobbi Force Techniques, Part 1 Introduction
 		83
Max Holden The Crisscross Force
85
Ed Balducci, Henry Christ, Edward Marlo The Balducci Force cut deeper
 		86
Horace Goldin The Goldin Force bold, riffle force and top half is flipped over twice
Related to 88
The Ten-to-twenty Force mathematical principle
 		90
The Lie Detector
91
Roberto Giobbi Transfer Cuts introduction
 		93
Dai Vernon, Roberto Giobbi The Double Cut
Variations 95
Dai Vernon The Triple Cut from Top to Bottom
97
Dai Vernon The Triple Cut from Bottom to Top
98
John Scarne, Roberto Giobbi Triple Coincidence spectator and magician exchange three cards from two decks - they match
Inspired by 99
Jean Hugard, Roberto Giobbi Seventh Son of a Seventh Son spectator finds three mates
Inspired by 101
Roberto Giobbi Riffle Shuffle Techniques Introduction
 		103
The Closed Riffle Shuffle
105
S. W. Erdnase Squaring after the Shuffle
107
The Open Riffle Shuffle
108
Riffle Shuffle Stock Controls
  • Control of the Top Stock
  • Control of the Bottom Stock
  • Tip For Both Shuffles
 		109
The Waterfall Riffle Shuffle
110
Persi Diaconis, Roberto Giobbi, Harry Lorayne The Red-Black Location free chosen card is found in a flash
Inspired by
  • Persi Diaconis trick from foreword of "Revelations"
 113
Charles T. Jordan Red-Black Shuffle
113
Bruce Cervon, Ian Baxter, Bob Veeser Royal Flush Finale four ace production plus cutting to a Royal Flush
 		114
Eddie Taytelbaum Pop-Over Production
115
John Benzais Spin Cut
116
Flip-Over Flourish half set on top of other half at edge, turns card over by gravity after a short moment
 		116
Bruce Cervon Pivot Production from riffle shuffle position
 		117
Roberto Giobbi The Glide Introduction
 		119
The Glide
121
Edward Marlo, Roberto Giobbi The Acrobat Family variation of Marlo's Elevator Cards
 		123
Partagas, Jean Hugard The Coué Test righting a wrong card - "psychological" presentation
Inspired by 125
Roberto Giobbi The Double Lift, Part 1 Introduction
 		127
A Double Lift
129
A Double Turnover safe method
 		130
Sven Maro Rise and Swap
132
Theodore Annemann A Card in Hand locator card changes into spectator's card - in his hand
Related to 133
Roberto Giobbi The Key Card introduction
 		135
The Key Card in a Hand-to-hand Spread
137
Key Card in a Ribbon-Spread
138
Glimpse and Placement from dribble
Also published here 140
Control in a Hand-to-Hand-Spread "Location, Identification and Control with a Key Cards"
 		142
Tabled Ribbon Spread Control with a key card
 		143
Further Thoughts on the Key Card - Shuffling with a Key Card
144
Letting the Spectator Shuffle with a Key Card
144
Juan Tamariz, Moe Seidenstein, Jimmy Grippo A Phenomenal Memory performer apparently remembers a whole spread and thus identifies a chosen card that has been moved from its position
 		145
Paul Rosini Your Number - Your Card
Related to 147
Sam Schwartz Thot Echo two card location, straight set-up
Related toVariationsAlso published here 149
Roberto Giobbi Hindu Shuffle Technique Introduction
 		154
The Hindu Shuffle
155
Glimpsing the Bottom Card with a Hindu Shuffle
157
Placing a Key Card with the Hindu Shuffle
157
The Hindu Shuffle Force
158
Hindu Shuffle Card Controls
160
The Lucky Card Spectator locates his card with his Lucky Card
 		164
The Magus Card spectator cuts to a card that matches a mysterious prediction
 		166
Roberto Giobbi Flourishes, Part 1 Introduction
 		167
Turning Over the Top Card 1
169
Turning Over the Top Card 2
170
Turning Over the Top Card 3
171
Charlier The Charlier Cut
172
Nate Leipzig The Swivel Cut
173
The Boomerang Card
175
The Spring Riffle Shuffle flourish shuffle
Related to 176
Jack Merlin Jack Merlin Riffle Shuffle flourish
Related to 177
Jules D'Hotel The Pop-up Card
178
The Wind-up Gag
179
The Two-handed Fan
179
The Broad One-handed Fan
181
The Reverse One-handed Fan with blank application
 		182
The Ribbon Spread Turnover
183
Roberto Giobbi Spread Cull Techniques Introduction
 		186
Johann Nepomuk Hofzinser The Spread Cull
187
Johann Nepomuk Hofzinser, Roberto Giobbi, Fred Robinson The Under-the-Spread Force
189
Roberto Giobbi The Magic Phone Number spectator touches four cards and finds the four Queens next to them
Inspired byVariations 191
As You Like It magician cuts to named four-of-a-kind
 		192
Roberto Giobbi Useful Auxiliary Sleights Introduction
 		196
Thumb Counting plus suggestions for management of this technique
 		197
The Little-finger Count plus many applications
 		201
The Secret Addition of Cards
203
Frederick Braue The Braue Addition
204
Stanley Collins The Tip-over Addition
Related to 206
Edward Marlo, Alex Elmsley ATFUS
208
The Single, Double and Multiple Push-over
211
Buckling One or More Cards
212
Roberto Giobbi Force Techniques, Part 2 Introduction
 		216
The Classic Force
  • Technique, Handling and Structure
  • The Psychological Management of the Spectators
  • The Inner Game of the Performer
  • How to Practice the Classic Force
 		217
Roberto Giobbi Outs for the classic force
Direct Methods:
  • The "Whoops!" Method
  • A Direct Exchange of the X-Card for the Two of Spades
Indirect Methods:
  • The Crisscross Force
Another Trick
Final Observations
 		222
Rainer Teschner, Roberto Giobbi The Riffle Force
224
The Jumping Pulse a chosen card is found by feeling the spectator's pulse
 		227
Theodore Annemann, Roberto Giobbi, Kenneth Chamberlain Headliner! image of chosen card appears printed in newspaper
Related to 228
Roberto Giobbi The Top Change introduction
 		231
Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin, Roberto Giobbi The Top Change
233
, Roberto Giobbi Top Change Covers five different natural situations
 		236
Roberto Giobbi The Top Change as an Out for the Classic Force
238
Larry Jennings, Roberto Giobbi Metamorphosis spectator finds three matching values for a "prediction card"
Inspired by 239
Jack Merlin, Roberto Giobbi The Jinx Change
240
Roberto Giobbi The Lucky Coin spectator locates a chosen card with a coin, selection is predicted on back of coin
Related toVariations 241
Data entered by Stephan Kirschbaum, July 2005.