Avant-Cards

Original Sleight of Hand

2011
Written by Wesley James
Work of Tom Gagnon
202 pages (Hardcover), published by avanT-Garde Magic
Illustrated with drawings by Tom Gagnon
Language: English
72 entries
This publication has been reviewed by
Cover photograph
Creators Title Comments & References Page Categories
Tom Gagnon Acknowledgements
iii
Tom Gagnon Preface
v
Randy Wakeman Foreword
vi
Wesley James Introduction
vii
Wesley James How to read this book
  • Academia - The Craft of Magic
  • Knowledge - Assumption
  • Credit - Creation in Magic
 		viii
Tom Gagnon Gagnon Spread Pass tabled spread, forward and backward action, Draw Shift related
  • Controlling the Location
VariationsAlso published here 1
Tom Gagnon Slide Draw Shift deck is not picked up
 		9
Tom Gagnon Faroed Spread Pass with deck in Incomplete Faro Condition
  • Two Card Control
Inspired by 11
Tom Gagnon Ribbon Spread Double Cut transfer cut onto table combined with Gagnon Spread Pass
Inspired by 15
Tom Gagnon Half Pass One using tabled ribbon spread cover, application in which peeked-at card turns over
 		17
Tom Gagnon Color Scheme deck spread face-down on table, when spread again the back color has changed
Also published here 20
Tom Gagnon Cavorting Classic using tabled passes
 		23
Tom Gagnon Versatile Spread Control bottom card rides under cards when spread on table
  • Basic Technique
  • Multi-Card Technique
  • Practice Exercise
  • Reciprocal Blind
Also published here 32
Tom Gagnon Key Card Placements using the Versatile Spread Control
  • Submarine Key Card
  • Drop Shot Key Card (inspired by Vernon reference)
Inspired byRelated to 40
Tom Gagnon Red & Blue Double Leaper with the Versatile Spread Control, deck with half red and half blue cards, red selection travels to blue part and vice versa
Also published here 44
Tom Gagnon Subterranean Stab with the Versatile Spread Control
 		51
Tom Gagnon Wow - that's Different biddle trick handling, using Versatile Spread Control
Inspired by
  • "Wow" (Richard Bruce, Hugard's Magic Monthly, Sep. 1951)
 54
Tom Gagnon Gagnon-Biddle Card Vanish handling of Biddle steal
 		56
Tom Gagnon Double Miracle card thought of from a group, another card selected, one card spelled to and the other found at named number, using Versatile Spread Control
 		58
Tom Gagnon Gagnon's Instant Spell selection spelled to in tabled spread, using Versatile Spread Control
Also published here 60
Tom Gagnon Ultimate Spread Force spectator divides tabled spread at any point, bottom card of top half forced, using Versatile Spread Control
Inspired by 62
Tom Gagnon Edge Crimp relatively sharp crimp along the edge, with ruler
 		62
Tom Gagnon Miracle Spread Force touched card in tabled spread apparently stays under spectator's finger, using Versatile Spread Control
Inspired by 65
Tom Gagnon Inverse Spread Force using Versatile Spread Control
Inspired byVariations 68
Tom Gagnon Immaculate Spread Force using Versatile Spread Control
Inspired by 70
Tom Gagnon Self-inflicted Spread Force using Versatile Spread Control
Also published here 72
Tom Gagnon Gagnon Spread Control center card rides under cards when spread on table
  • Insertion Jog
  • Side Steal Jog
  • The Control
VariationsAlso published here 76
Insertion Jog
77
Tom Gagnon Top Card Cover GSC Gagnon Spread Control to second position
 		87
Tom Gagnon Bottom Card Cover GSC Gagnon Spread Control to small position from bottom
 		88
Tom Gagnon Ribbon Spread Multiple Shift
  • Angle Load
  • Lift Load
Inspired byVariationsAlso published here 90
Tom Gagnon Spread Extraction Move Gagnon Spread Control to top
 		95
Tom Gagnon Pinkie Finger Load Gagnon Spread Control to top
 		97
Tom Gagnon Slide Maneuver Gagnon Spread Control to top
 		99
Tom Gagnon Pam Sandwich using Gagnon Spread Control and Top Card Cover Slide Maneuver
 		101
Tom Gagnon Technicolor Elevator odd-backed, using Gagnon Spread Control, split-back card
Inspired byVariations 104
Tom Gagnon Psychic Touch cards in tabled spread touched one by one until spectator says stop, using Inverse Spread Force
Inspired by 112
Tom Gagnon Remote Control Reverse ribbon spread turnover over free card underneath, using Gagnon Spread Control
Also published here 116
Tom Gagnon Double Doodle Steal loading a card onto a card that is used to scoop up a tabled spread to make it a double
VariationsAlso published here 119
Tom Gagnon Flying Double Lift loading a card onto a card that is used to scoop up a tabled spread to make it a double, in short tabled ambitious card sequence
 		121
Tom Gagnon Bunko Squad card travels from deck to between sandwich cards, using Double Doodle Steal
 		124
Tom Gagnon Ribbon Spread Revelation deck spread on table, close in one sweep and selection remains face-up on table, using Versatile Spread Control
 		127
Tom Gagnon Cop without a Beat copping card after Versatile Spread Control
 		128
Tom Gagnon You Must Do as I Do using Gagnon Spread Control
Inspired by 131
Tom Gagnon Throwing a Slider Three Card Catch starting with tabled spread and Gagnon Spread Control
Inspired by 134
Tom Gagnon Lateral Bottom Deal left hand holds packet palm down, when turned palm up the bottom card is dealt out on inner end, as deck is cut and top portion is turned over and top card apparently thumbed off
  • The Grip
  • The Loosening
  • The False Deal
  • The Simulated Push-off
  • Simulating a Cut
  • The Riffle
  • The Cut
  • Completing the Cut and Finishing the Deal
  • Performance Notes
  • Practice Notes
  • A Psychological Bonus
Related toVariationsAlso published here 136
Tom Gagnon Greek Lateral Bottom Deal same with second card from bottom (or top before cut)
Inspired by 144
Tom Gagnon LBD Aces "Lateral Bottom Deal", Aces lost, performer quickly cuts the tabled deck four times at the Aces
 		146
Carmen D'Amico Sliding Block Multiple Shift
146
Tom Gagnon Bet Your Lateral Bottom Dollar performer cuts to the Aces one by one from tabled deck, dollar bill lies on deck, using Greek Lateral Bottom Deal
 		148
Tom Gagnon Rhythm Aces
152
Tom Gagnon Sticky Aces cutting to Aces after spectator's shuffle à la Scarne, using cards that have half a sticky surface
 		155
Tom Gagnon Bluff Coincidence
158
Tom Gagnon Double Bluff Coincidence two phases
 		161
Tom Gagnon Laterally Stabbed using Lateral Bottom Deal
Inspired by 165
Tom Gagnon Outward Bottom Deal card tossed forward
Related toVariations 167
Tom Gagnon Card to Card Box card apparently tossed from inside case, actually from below
Inspired by 170
Tom Gagnon Ricochet Bottom Deal top card apparently taken in End Grip and put on table, actually Outward Bottom Deal performed, here as cut force
Variations 173
Tom Gagnon Covered Ricochet Bottom Deal original bottom card added to bottom of cut-off packet via Outward Bottom Deal
Variations 175
Tom Gagnon Han Ping Chien BD
Inspired by 177
Tom Gagnon Covered HPC Bottom Deal
Inspired by 179
Tom Gagnon Bottop Force
181
Tom Gagnon Wheeler Dealer outward bottom deal handling in which card is spun face up with right hand
 		183
Tom Gagnon Greek Outward Bottom Deal
Variations 185
Tom Gagnon Bluffing a Greek simplified
Inspired by 187
Tom Gagnon Bilateral Bottom Deal two-handed version of Lateral Bottom Deal
Inspired byVariationsAlso published here 188
Tom Gagnon Scissors Take Bilateral BD
Inspired by 190
Tom Gagnon Scissors Grip Bilateral BD
Inspired by 192
Tom Gagnon Flexible BD Exchange as card is removed from in-the-hands spread, using Outward Bottom Deal
  • Face-up Variation
Inspired by 194
Tom Gagnon Insertion spectator stabs card next to selection
 		196
Tom Gagnon Multi-Card Lowe Top Palm thumb flesh break
Inspired by 199
Tom Gagnon Easy Breather method for making a breather crimp
Also published here 201
Data entered by Denis Behr, November 2019.