Underworld

Issues 1 to 10

1995-1999
Written by Karl Fulves
Work of Various
140 pages (Stapled), published by Selfpublished
Illustrated with drawings by Joseph K. Schmidt
Language: English
137 entries
Cover photograph
Creators Title Comments & References Issue Year Page Categories
John Scarne Suspense multi-phase cigar routine
  • cigar clings to hand, finger and hidden stick method
  • four cigars cling to hand, ungaffed
  • they are released in requested order
Related to 1 1995 1
Cigar Levitation cigar clings to hand, reprinted from reference
Also published here
  • Encyclopedia of Impromptu Magic, Martin Gardner
 1 1995 1
Reinhard Müller Pre-World discussing precursors of OOTW and color guessing, credit information
Related to 1 1995 4
Stamped separating 1 cent stamps from 2 cent stamps, ca. 1930s
 		1 1995 5
John Scarne Guess Black OOTW handling with bottom deals, dated ca. 1930s, see also p. 26
Related to 1 1995 5
John Scarne New World Order two face-up Jokers in deck, six cards that "don't belong" chosen from between the Jokers, they are the only odd-colored ones, dated ca. 1930s, see also p. 42
Related toVariations 1 1995 6
Karl Fulves Brass Band rubber band on performer's third finger, spectator holds second and third fingers and closes eyes, rubber band is now on second and third fingers
Related toAlso published here 1 1995 8
Ken Beale The V Force "Three Impromptus"
bottom card of top half is transferred to bottom half with bottom placement angle jog as it is placed offset on it
 		1 1995 9
Ken Beale Offset Ambition "Three Impromptus"
 		1 1995 9
Ken Beale Set Off Trap "Three Impromptus"
sandwiched card on table, card chosen, sandwich cut in deck side-jogged, sandwiched card turns out to be later selection
 		1 1995 10
J. W. Sarles One-Handed Injog card starts side-jogged
 		1 1995 10
Karl Fulves Loaded cards with letters in scale layout, spectator thinks of a letter and says whether it would tip to left or right, binary, gray code, see also p. 26
Related to 1 1995 11
Mel Bennett Half Now calculation, then psalm in bible found according to number, prediction from only vertical lines is complete to the word
Inspired by
  • "The Count of Monte Carlo" (Stewart James in Print, p. 716)
 1 1995 12
Karl Fulves Bottom Fact using Erdnase Bottom Deal as get-ready for strike bottom
Inspired byRelated to 1 1995 12
Karl Fulves But I Digress on periodicals, John Scarne's unpublished material
 		1 1995 13
Roy Walton Mini Mix 3&3
Inspired by 1 1995 13
Karl Fulves Death Row Ace through Six in red and black removed and shuffled via Milk Build, after counting procedure the Ace of Spades is arrived at and it completes the Royal Flush in the case
 		1 1995 14
Sam Schwartz Road Scholar horse race plot
Related to 2 1995 15
Karl Fulves Shell Game for magicians, shell dropped onto coin, coin vanishes
 		2 1995 18
J. W. Sarles After Dark spectator and performer think a card, spectator and performer find each other's card
Related to 2 1995 19
Double Cross Cut Force one of two cards forced
 		2 1995 19
John Scarne Brainwave Problem deck spread face up, two cards named, deck spread face down, two cards are red-backed, they're the named one, posed as a problem
 		2 1995 19
Karl Fulves Bird Brain bird or dove indicates which watch belongs to which spectator
Related to 2 1995 20
Karl Fulves Early Triumphs credit information, 1927 and 1928 references for Triumph routines
 		2 1995 21
The Shuffle Reverse
Also published here
  • "Two Dozen Effective Practical Card Tricks" (Walter Gibson, 1927)
 2 1995 21
Art Altman Upside Down reprint of original instructions with added illustrations, 1928
 		2 1995 21
Martin Gardner Cornered bar bet with checkerboard pattern and coins
 		2 1995 23
Tony Bartolotta Keys Without Clues
2 1995 24
Karl Fulves Big If comedy sequence that ends with brainwave type effect (double lift)
 		2 1995 25
Karl Fulves 6-Card Conceit card location presentation for six card repeat
Related to 2 1995 25
Jo Sarles, Sam Schwartz, Herb Zarrow Letters Jo Sarles is the widow of J. W. Sarles (Jim?)
 		2 1995 26
Karl Fulves But I Digress on Robert-Houdin, presentation, Billy McComb anecdote
 		2 1995 27
John Scarne The Probable Outcome card from different deck put into cards, spectator names card when spread face-up, the card shows up again with different back, ungaffed
Related to 2 1995 28
Martin Gardner Face-Up Gemini Twins
Inspired byVariations 3 1996 29
Karl Fulves Cross Hatched
Inspired by 3 1996 30
Tony Slydini Metal To Metal nail passes through steel nut with a hole that is too small, dealer's item
Related to 3 1996 31
Karl Fulves Little Alice mate coincidence with odd-backed cards in two packets, one handled behind back, red/blue double backer
Inspired byRelated to 3 1996 32
Joseph K. Schmidt Commentary on The Mechanic's Grip
Related to 3 1996 33
Joseph K. Schmidt (reviewer) The Man Who Was Erdnase by Jeff Busby
comments on the book 		3 1996 33
Karl Fulves This Little Piggy marked coin vanishes from bill and reappears in plastic piggy bank
Related to 3 1996 35
Karl Fulves Gambler's Dice Switch with Coins using bills
 		3 1996 35
John Scarne Business Card ESP Business Card Prophecy with two separate predictions, credit information
Related to 3 1996 36
Karl Fulves Not Too Blue deck spread face up, card named, deck re-spread face-down, two odd-backed cards sandwich one card, it is the named card
 		3 1996 38
Karl Fulves 2¢ Lie Detector "Impromptu Truth Serum"
paper clip bent open and one end wrapped around tooth pick, can be made to act as lie detector or answer questions
Related to 3 1996 39
Sam Schwartz Devil's Date "Two Diary Tricks"
card listed in diary is only odd-backed card in deck
Related to 3 1996 40
Sam Schwartz Fate Accompli "Two Diary Tricks"
card listed in diary is only odd-backed
 		3 1996 41
Karl Fulves But I Digress on Mike Skinner, Derek Dingle and Frank Garcia, Frank Garcia anecdote
Related to 3 1996 42
John Scarne Heads I Win one of two coins turns over on back of hand with wave of hand
Related to 4 1996 43
William Larsen, T. Page Wright A Novelty Spelling Mystery "A Larsen & Wright Gold Seal Mystery"
Further Than That precursor, 1940
Related toAlso published here
  • Page Wright's Manuscript, 1991, p. 223
  • Genii Bonus Number One, Genii, April 1940
 4 1996 45
Karl Fulves Rake's Progress open stacking procedure, Aces show up as climax
 		4 1996 46
Henry Christ 49 Force two dice used in some calculation that results in 49
Related to 4 1996 47
Karl Fulves How To Beat The Test color cards in paper folders are guessed with above-average score in three ways
Inspired by
  • "How Not To Test A Psychic" (Martin Gardner, 1989)
Related to 		4 1996 48
Sam Schwartz Any Card - Any Wallet card in face-up spread named, odd-backed duplicate predicted in wallet
Related to 4 1996 50
Tony Kardyro, Edward Marlo K.M. Move
4 1996 51
Karl Fulves Smoke/Silver "A routine for the cigarette thru quarter"
cigarette and quarter held between first finger and thumb of both hands, the hands link and unlink
Related to 4 1996 52
Karl Fulves Voice Print freely chosen card, deck in glass, message appears on slate to locate card
Related to 4 1996 53
Karl Fulves One-Way Reversal out-of-hands, using glass
Inspired by 4 1996 53
Slate Display Sequence two slates
Also published here
  • Linking Ring, 1928
 4 1996 54
Karl Fulves But I Digress on influential magicians of an era, standard questions by laymen, Dunninger anecdote (from October 1944 Linking Ring)
 		4 1996 55
Martin Gardner Color Magnets card cut into deck attracts a few card of same color, based on fact that at least four card of same color are together in most shuffled decks
Related to 4 1996 56
Simple Cut Force deck cut on table, reversed card placed on top half and cut completed
 		4 1996 56
Tony Bartolotta A Mind For Money five envelope with some coin change, four chosen, content added, amount predicted
Related to 5 1997 57
Karl Fulves Pre-DV collection of a Strip-Out addition and Multiple Shift precursor, see following items
 		5 1997 60
Audley Walsh Audley Walsh Coincidence four touched cards are stripped out and put to bottom of deck, they are the four Aces
Related toAlso published here 5 1997 60
Louis Zingone Luis Zingone Card Control multiple Hindu Shuffle control, Vernon Multiple Shift precursor
Related to 5 1997 61
Martin Gardner A Curious Number Force Ace through Nine in 3x3 layout
Related to 5 1997 62
Karl Fulves Contraband rubber band around third finger, held by spectator who closes eyes, band jumps to fourth finger, wrist hide-out, band can also jump to spectator's wrist
Related to 5 1997 63
Karl Fulves Far Sighted five red-backed cards in five envelopes mixed, die rolled, four envelopes turned over according to number, fifth card predicted
Related to 5 1997 64
Karl Fulves Heat Rises tinfoil gets hot on spectator's hand, voodoo type presentation
Related to 5 1997 65
Karl Fulves Hic! balloon in plastic bottle with opening over bottle opening, inflated, it stays inflated, stick jumps out
Related toVariations 5 1997 65
Joseph K. Schmidt Braue Extra braue reverse handling
Related to 5 1997 66
John Scarne Decepta "A flash ace production"
two-Ace production
Variations 5 1997 68
John Scarne Spectator Shuffles Sequence half deck shuffled, then other half, set-up transferred
 		5 1997 68
Karl Fulves 4-Ace Decepta four-Ace production
Inspired by 5 1997 69
Karl Fulves But I Digress on books vs. video, self-working tricks, what laymen think
 		5 1997 70
Herb Zarrow Progressive Oil & Water 4&4, then 3&3, then 2&2, then 1&1, dated 1955
Variations 6 1997 71
Spread Separation Displacement to switch center two cards in oil and water
 		6 1997 72
Karl Fulves Air Force plastic bottle whistle, spectator hears sound when mouth of bottle is held to his ear, repeated with higher sound
Related to 6 1997 78
Karl Fulves But I Digress on Al Flosso's Miser's Dream, videotapes, close-up magic on television, George Johnstone anecdote
 		6 1997 79
Jack Miller Coin of the Realm coin vanishes from under matchbox in hand, reappears inside
 		6 1997 80
Karl Fulves One is for Circle three ESP cards selected, then one of those removed, other two cards given to medium who reveals chosen card, card counting and positional code on table
Related to 6 1997 82
Tony Bartolotta Gang Related deck cut, top two cards removed and placed in center, corner of next card torn off, performer stabs it into the center behind his back, between selections, three-way force deck, for details see Informant reference
Related to 6 1997 84
Ken Beale Fusion Aces two cards change into Aces between two spot cards, then the spot cards change into Aces themselves
Inspired byRelated toVariations 7 1998 85
Gary Ruiz Lorad friend choses any word in a book, later assistant is met or phoned and reveals word, cell phone secretly on
 		7 1998 87
Karl Fulves Cuts Like A Knife two stick magnets, repelling poles suddenly attract with knife in between
 		7 1998 88
Roy Walton Magic Trick two cards chosen by spelling MAGIC and TRICK, then found by spell-counting to a card
 		7 1998 89
Mark Murphy 3-Card Maneuver card on top with card under case
Related to 7 1998 89
Penny-Trate coin through tissue napkin
Related to
  • Quaker Oats magic booklet
 7 1998 90
Karl Fulves Delphic Dice card chosen with three dice from eight-card packet
 		7 1998 91
J. W. Sarles Three To Go three silks vanish in hand one by one with wand, with tubes that can be unloaded in wand
 		7 1998 91
Kurt Weiss Alleged Mob Ties "A no-gaff untying silk routine"
chosen silk unknots itself and falls from rope
Related to 7 1998 92
Peter Warlock Mentasma hinged envelope cards, red/blue double backer
Related to 7 1998 94
Martin Gardner Two Stunts
  • "Bronx cheer effect" with tv screen
  • tissue around end of tube, filled with salt, tissue cannot be broken
  • affecting television screen with magnet
 		7 1998 95
Karl Fulves But I Digress on patter in magic books, The Champions of Magic II on television, testing material in pub
 		7 1998 96
Karl Fulves Transmitter Problem transmitting the number of dealt cards via sound from another room, posed as problem
 		7 1998 96
Karl Fulves Time & Dice "Three tricks"
Ace through Six, spectator switches two cards and turns all over according to dice roll, divined
 		7 1998 97
Karl Fulves PK Dice "Three tricks"
two seven-card packets dealt one by one, only the card matches that was chosen with a die throw earlier
 		7 1998 98
Karl Fulves Brainchild "Three tricks"
two six-card packets dealt one by one, only the card matches that was chosen with a die throw earlier
Related to 7 1998 98
Dai Vernon Bow & Arrow Knot flourish knot in which one end shoots through a loop, repeated with smaller loops
Related to 8 1998 99
Frank Stefani Jack Attack spectator cuts to four Jacks and finds selection, see "Informant" reference for impromptu version
Inspired byRelated toVariations 8 1998 102
Martin Gardner The K Diaries spectator chooses word, counts forward according to the number of letters a few times, final word predicted, Kruskal principle
Related toVariations 8 1998 103
Karl Fulves Cap Caper
  • coin placed on mouth of bottle wobbles and jumps
  • plastic cap of plastic bottle placed inverted on bottle jumps to answer questions
 		8 1998 105
John Scarne, Stewart James, J. W. Sarles All Star Aces after some dealing and counting the four Aces are found
Related toVariations 8 1998 106
Karl Fulves Astrology By Electronics getting information for readings
 		8 1998 107
Karl Fulves Twixtwin after a confusing cutting, selection and shuffling procedure, a card that matches an initialed prediction card shows up
 		8 1998 108
John Werner Other Worlds
Inspired byRelated to 8 1998 110
Karl Fulves But I Digress on videotape as teaching tool, exposure shows on television
 		8 1998 111
Karl Fulves V-Real spectator cuts, card made up from suit of top and value of bottom card, spelling "virtual reality", card shown, it changes into made-up card (allusion to lie speller "Lie, Si")
Related to 8 1998 112
Michael Esposito, Karl Fulves Subway Series credit information on the thumb flick move
Related to 9 1998 113
Max Williams Subway Move as coins across phase
 		9 1998 114
Michael Esposito, Tony Slydini Manhattan Transfer coin pushed in sleeve appears under hand on table
 		9 1998 115
Karl Fulves Profiling number of red cards in one pile corresponds with number of black in another
Related toVariationsAlso published here 9 1998 116
Tony Bartolotta Test Results three spectators write their name on a cardboard with a color, mixed face-down, performer divines
Inspired byRelated to 9 1998 117
Nob Yoshigahara Magnetic Aces four Aces face-down on table in a row, right first finger presses on first Ace, it clings to finger, places it on next Ace, both cards cling to finger, and so on
Related toAlso published here 9 1998 118
John E. Mintz Magnetic Aces - Notes cards cling to finger and are picked up one by one
Related to 9 1998 119
Martin Gardner The 7th Clip six paper clips in paper cup cling to it when turned upside down, when seventh clip is placed inside, they drop out
 		9 1998 120
Sam Schwartz Alpha Spell card named spelled with alphabet decks, card predicted
Related to 9 1998 121
Karl Fulves Nickels to Dimes magician's only trick with nickels to dimes apparatus in which nickels transpose with cap
Related to 9 1998 122
Mel Bennett K-Plus spelling instead of counting, Kruskal Principle with words
Inspired by 9 1998 123
Karl Fulves Line of Thought demonstration of memorising all twelve court cards
Related to 9 1998 123
James Baker You've Already Won! calculation that always results in the number five, predicted with five dollar bills
 		9 1998 124
Karl Fulves But I Digress on Robert Rau and his David Copperfield exposure book, newspaper article on exposure television show "Breaking The Magician's Code"
 		9 1998 125
Karl Fulves Would I Lie To You? three piles, performer selects card from center pile and makes statements, spectator take cards from lie or truth pile, values added, selection arrived at
Related to 9 1998 126
John Scarne A Remote Second Ace of Clubs on left side, small chosen number of card put in center, unknown card on right, Ace put in packet, vanishes, is shown on right
Variations 10 1999 127
Don Nielsen, Karl Fulves The Old Penny & Dime Trick penny vanishes, two dimes appear instead, sucker element
 		10 1999 129
Conrad C. Bush A Cut Above three cards chosen with riffle procedure and shown to spectators one by one (bold riffle force of bottom card), then found, done one-handed
Variations 10 1999 130
Sam Schwartz Clock Work
10 1999 132
Karl Fulves Intelligentsia with ten cards
Inspired byRelated to 10 1999 133
Martin Gardner Suspend A Cup "Two Floating Cup Ideas"
plastic cup clings to hand
Inspired by
  • suspended tumbler in Hatton & Plate's "Magician's Tricks" (1919)
Variations 		10 1999 134
Martin Gardner Cheap Zombie "Two Floating Cup Ideas"
styrofoam cup floats between hands, hole in back
Variations 10 1999 134
Karl Fulves Mathematical 3-Cup Monte idea with three styrofoam cups
Inspired by 10 1999 135
Karl Fulves 4th Dimensional Chess twelve cards in matrix layout, spectator rotates layout and moves according to instructions, later performer is able to get to same final position
Related to 10 1999 136
Karl Fulves The Tesseract red-backed and blue-backed cards in 4x4 layout, spectator places marker on layout and thinks of an Ace, he moves around and finds the Ace
Related to 10 1999 137
Tony Bartolotta Time Trap half the deck used, spectator cuts off some cards and counts them, a selection made, packets combined, spectator remembers card at his number, selected card stabbed next to it below table by performer
Related to 10 1999 138
Karl Fulves But I Digress on exposure, censorship
 		10 1999 139
Jack Avis Toss-In Stab
10 1999 140
Lou Gallo Lou Gallo's Addition tabled deck with perpendicular card, it is squeezed to pop top half face-up
 		10 1999 140
Data entered by Denis Behr, September 2018.