What's Up Deck?

A notebook on card magic

1995
Written by Aldo Colombini
Work of Aldo Colombini
147 pages (Hardcover), published by Mamma Mia Magic
Illustrated with drawings by Tony Dunn
Language: English
111 entries
This publication has been reviewed by
Cover photograph
Creators Title Comments & References Page Categories
Aldo Colombini Acknowledgment
vi
Obie O'Brien Foreword
viii
Michael Skinner Introduction
ix
Aldo Colombini To The Reader...
x
Sleights & Moves
1
Alex Elmsley Elmsley Count
3
Aldo Colombini Bottoms Up! control sequence using Glide variation with cards in right-hand end grip
Related to 6
Aldo Colombini Odla Control jog, insertion from the side with deck in end grip
Related to 8
Double Undercut
9
Aldo Colombini By Mistake packet drops on table during cutting sequence, Ace is on top
 		10
Aldo Colombini Twist & Shout perpendicular card is squeezed and top half pops over, in-the-hands
 		11
Aldo Colombini Two-Card Location brief
 		12
Selected Cards
13
Aldo Colombini Prime Cut two black Jacks are put into deck in different position out-jogged, after some cuts they are pulled out and have a selection sandwiched between them
 		15
Aldo Colombini Second Coming card found with the values of two random cards, improvisation
 		17
Aldo Colombini Kick Out Christ force, Six-spot cut to, counting down to selection, the five counted cards are a Royal Flush
VariationsAlso published here 19
Edward Marlo Cover-Up Cut
19
Fred G. Taylor Taylor Count curious count application
 		19
Aldo Colombini Spell the Name selection lost, performer makes four packets, the name of any person is spelled to in each packet to locate selection and its three mates
Also published here
  • Sand Castle lecture notes
 21
Aldo Colombini Joking Around three selections are tables, three Jokers are used to divine them, selections change to Jokers and Jokers are found elsewhere
Inspired by
  • routine in Jon Racherbaumer's "Pastiche" (1992)
Also published here
  • Precursor No. XLVII
 23
Riffle Force break, brief
 		24
Aldo Colombini Colorado three cards are lost, Ace to Three of Clubs are placed on top, the distribute through the deck one to three cards next to the selections
Also published here 25
Edward Marlo ATFUS
25
Buckling
26
Torn & Restored
27
Aldo Colombini Torn-Ado card torn into quarters is restored when fan is waved over hand with pieces
 		29
Dan Tong Fan Reverse under one-handed fan
 		30
Aldo Colombini One, Two, Three four cards removed, one of them is the selection, they are folded in half and torn, the selection restores and changes back color
Inspired by
  • Stephen Tucker effect
Related toAlso published here
  • Linking Ring
 31
Four Aces
33
Aldo Colombini Wanna Bet? one-handed production, three Aces flip over three different sides of the deck
Also published here
  • John Cornelius has similar production
 35
Aldo Colombini Math-Aces Aces are found via counting from two packets, difference of two numbers
Inspired byAlso published here 37
Frederick Braue Braue Reversal
37
Back-to-Back Shuffle Strategy spectator apparently shuffled whole deck, set-up starts reversed
 		37
Aldo Colombini Hof-Mini-Maxi selection made from miniature deck
Also published here 39
Aldo Colombini Four Split Four split in two Twos, Twos split into Aces
Inspired by 41
Jerry K. Hartman Blow Away Change
Also published here 42
Cardbox Tricks
43
Aldo Colombini Eatery four Kings and a missionary card are placed in card case, out come only the Kings and plastic bones
 		45
Drop Switch brief
 		46
Aldo Colombini Jagged Edge card placed in case, a card appears reversed in deck, it is the same card and the selection is found in case, case flicked out between two halves
 		47
Aldo Colombini Boxing Jack a Jack transposes with two spot cards in card case
Inspired by
  • "Jack In The Box" (marketed through Mamma Mia Magic)
 49
Howard Wurst Fake Partial Insertion apparently inserting two cards into case, but one goes underneath
Also published here 49
Gary Ouellet Two Alike Display
50
Aldo Colombini, Carlos Corda Stand Up card rises from cased deck, starts with out-jogged block
 		51
Packet Tricks
53
Aldo Colombini Pirouette four Jokers, two change to selections and the other two change their back color
 		55
Karl Fulves Turnabout Turnover fake turnover
Also published here 55
Criss Cross Force
56
Aldo Colombini Trifle ungaffed Twisted Sisters version, two duplicate four-of-a-kinds from different decks, named suit transposes
Inspired by 57
Aldo Colombini The Ace Counts Ace comes to top in four-card packet repeatedly, then changes to different card, value becomes other three cards added up
 		59
Jack Avis Siva Count
60
Aldo Colombini I Am a Joker color-changing back kicker
Also published here 61
Omega Count five as five, hiding two faces and backs
 		61
Aldo Colombini Six Card Omega Count
Inspired by 62
Mind Games
63
Aldo Colombini Packed Bags chosen card is predicted reversed in deck (optional gag prediction "You will not choose the Queen of Hearts", all other cards are Queens of Hearts)
Related to 65
Riffle Shuffle Subtlety one key card on top of both halves before a spectator's riffle shuffle
 		65
Reversed Card Force card touched and cards above and below are reversed, then performer spreads to reversed card
 		66
Aldo Colombini Four-Cast four cards tabled, selection lost, tabled cards indicate color, odd/even, face/spot card and last card turns out to be selection itself
Inspired by
  • Peter Duffie effect
 67
Aldo Colombini Espial two cards and two ESP cards are chosen and one of each combined, the prediction consists of two cards which match the selections that have the shape of the ESP cards cut out
Also published here
  • Linking Ring, 1986
 69
Topsy Turvy
71
Aldo Colombini Flip Flop deck is cut somewhere and reversed three times, two cards are revealed at the end and transpose, variation with Aces
Inspired byAlso published here
  • Genii
 73
Aldo Colombini Tri-Emphasis based on Cut-Deeper-Force
Also published here 75
Aldo Colombini Shadoogie selection turns over twice, then rest of the suit turns over in order
Inspired byAlso published here
  • Genii, column "Aldo Colombini and Friends"
 77
Dai Vernon Push Through Fist Move
78
Harry Lorayne Illogical Double Lift
79
Red & Black
81
Aldo Colombini Nice Salad 4&4, red and black cards transpose, then mix
Variations 83
Charles T. Jordan Jordan Count
84
Aldo Colombini Band-It ten red and ten black cards, one of each selected, packets are rubber-banded, the two cards transpose
Inspired byRelated to 85
Edward Marlo, Aldo Colombini Slip Switch Variation
85
Aldo Colombini Biddle Stop Force spectator calls top during biddling cards into other hand one by one, original bottom card shown, flushtration force, discrepant
Also published here 86
Aldo Colombini Magnetic eight packets made that are shuffled face-up/face-down, in the end all red cards are face-up with black selection and vice versa
Inspired by
  • first effect in David Jones's notes "Note Closely"
Variations 		87
Red/Black Overhand Shuffle
87
Aldo Colombini Italian Dressing 4&4, with mixing climix
 		89
Edward Marlo Olram Count
90
Feature Routines
91
Aldo Colombini Nobody At Home assembly with Kings and Jokers, Kings change to Aces, Aces are found again
Also published here
  • The Linking Ring, October 1994
 93
Four-as-Three Ascanio Spread
94
Stephen Tucker Braue Flourish Production for Two Cards with a transformation
Inspired by 95
Flip-Over Production perpendicular card in tabled deck is quickly bent, top half flips over
 		96
Jeff White Fan Change
Also published here 96
Aldo Colombini Apache two cards stuck together and are peeled apart again
Also published here 98
Aldo Colombini Majesties combo with Royal Flushes kicker
Inspired by 100
Aldo Colombini Small Scale jumbo cards do not match selection which is "smaller", smaller cards in size and value appear to match selection
Inspired by
  • Jim Lee effect
Also published here
  • marketed as "Diminishing Prediction" (Mamma Mia Magic)
 102
Aldo Colombini Serenade combo
Also published here 105
Aldo Colombini Fooling You four Jokers assemble at once, then one by one, then travel back
 		107
Daryl Martinez Rising Crime Display
109
Larry West Mirage Count
110
Aldo Colombini Joker's Wild five Jokers and a Ten, Jokers change to duplicates of Ten, then all back to Jokers
 		112
Edward Marlo Eidetic Change
115
Aldo Colombini Meeting assembly with the twelve court cards, one value changes to Aces and the missing cards are produced from pockets
Inspired by 116
Mixed Tricks
119
Aldo Colombini The Battle three Jokers and four Aces, Aces turn over between Joker cards one by one, Jokers change into Kings
 		121
Aldo Colombini Double Hit Jack of Diamonds appears between two selected Clubs cards in packet of all Clubs, repeat phase
Inspired by
  • Phil Goldstein routine from M-U-M
 123
Aldo Colombini Your Best a Nine is chosen, predicted with other three previously tabled Nines
 		125
Jerry K. Hartman Drop Stop
Also published here 125
Aldo Colombini Paramount card signed and lost in blue-backed deck, three blank red-backed cards are taken out, one of them has the back erased and printed blue, then the face appears, then the signature
Also published here
  • marketed through Mamma Mia Magic
 127
Henry Christ, Aldo Colombini Stop Force Variation top card turned over in-jogged, next card pulled out and put on first in-jogged card, repeated until spectator stops
 		128
Dai Vernon Paintbrush Change
130
Aldo Colombini Lite Switch two card transposition, duplicate
Also published here 132
Aldo Colombini Mouse Trap Ace of Spades and card representing cheese end up in sandwich, cheese card then has holes in it (like Swiss cheese)
Inspired by
  • Terry Lagerould routine from Australian magic magazine
Variations 		134
Aldo Colombini Bagged deck put in paper bag, cards removed one by one, after spectator says stop the performer removes the selection, in another paper bag is found a card silk with selection
 		136
Aldo Colombini Take Off card sandwich is placed in an envelope with hole, sandwiched cards vanishes and re-appears in deck
Inspired by 138
Eye Count
139
Aldo Colombini Knock Spell three cards are spelled to, Royal Flush shows up
Also published here
  • Magigram
 140
Reverse Double Undercut
141
Aldo Colombini The Ruler carpenter's ruler is folded into Nine of Diamond index
 		142
Aldo Colombini Oddities deck cut into three packets, two cards selected and lost, performer finds them
 		144
Glossary of Moves
146
Aldo Colombini Conclusion
147
Data entered by Denis Behr, March 2022.