The Card Magic of Nick Trost

1997
Written by Nick Trost
Work of Nick Trost
332 pages (Hardcover), published by L&L Publishing
Illustrated with drawings by Joseph K. Schmidt
Language: English
212 entries
This publication has been reviewed by
Cover photograph
Creators Title Comments & References Page AA Categories
William P. Miesel Introduction
13
Nick Trost Foreword
15
Nick Trost The Observation Test
Related to 17
Edward Marlo Displaying all the Cards as Identical Using Swing Cuts
 		17
Nick Trost Seven Card Count Variation of Six Card Repeat, credit information
Related toVariationsAlso published here
  • The Linking Ring, Feb. 1955
 19
Walter Rollins, Brother John Hamman, Bob Longe Rollins-Hamman-Longe Routine
Inspired byRelated to
  • "One Too Many" (Bob Longe, 101 Amazing Card Tricks, 1993)
Also published here 		21
Nick Trost Double Pinochle with an Elevator Finish
Inspired by
  • "Knock-Out Aces" (Ted Biet, Genii, June 1982)
 22
Nick Trost Rising Crime Display
23
Nick Trost The Five-Ace Poker Hand
Variations 25
Nick Trost Generic Deck Version Variation on "The Five-Ace Poker Hand" with blank cards
Inspired by 27
Nick Trost Red or Black - Which? small packet
Inspired byRelated toVariations 28
Nick Trost, Tom Hubbard The Ultimate Version Variation on "Red or Black - Which?"
Inspired by 30
Nick Trost Weight Guess Spectator pockets cards, magician divines how many, breather at twenty-six
Related toVariationsAlso published here
  • New Tops, Feb. 1966
 32
Mike Rogers Mike Roger's Version Variation of "Weight Guess" with cards face up
Inspired by 33
Tom Hubbard Tom Hubbard's Version Variation of "Weight Guess", also with cards face up, but no initial counting
Inspired byVariations 34
Nick Trost Double Turnover Coincidence Two spectators cut to black Queens, which is previously predicted by written prediction
 		37
Nick Trost Reversed Coincidence with one deck Magician and spectator each has half a deck, they exchange one card and place reversed in each half, revealed to be mates
 		38
Ed Balducci Cut Deeper Force
38
Nick Trost Do as I Do with Two Cards magician and spectator freely exchange two cards each, turn out to be four Queens
Inspired by 39
Nick Trost Card in Pocket Coincidence Prediction card placed in pocket, spectator selects card by counting down to named number, card in pocket shown to be mates
Also published here 40
Nick Trost Ten-In-A-Row Double Coincidence
Inspired byVariations 41
Nick Trost Swindle Suits swindle switch procedure
Inspired by
  • "The Tarot Speaks" marketed by Arthur Emerson
Related toVariations 		43
Paul Curry Swindle Switch
45
Nick Trost Courtship Kings placed on top of Queens and squeezed, instantly dealt off in pairs
Variations 47
Nick Trost, Stewart Judah Matched Picture Cards
Related toVariationsAlso published here 49
Al Smith Al Smith's Version Variation of "Matched Picture Cards" without deck
Inspired byAlso published here 50
Norman Houghton Norman Houghton's First Version Variation of "Matched Picture Cards" also without deck
Inspired by 52
Norman Houghton Norman Houghton's Second Version Variation of "Matched Picture Cards" also without deck too
Inspired byRelated toVariations 53
Tom Hubbard Tom Hubbard's Version Visual variation of "Matched Picture Cards"
Inspired by 54
Paul Swinford Paul Swinford's Routine Combination of original and Tom Hubbard's "Matched Picture Cards"
Inspired by 56
Nick Trost The Gathering of the Court Cards three packets of Jacks, Queens, Kings, assemble to three Jacks, three Queens and three Kings
Related toVariationsAlso published here 57
Nick Trost Like with Like Version "The Gathering of the Court Cards" with hotel story
Related to 58
Nick Trost J-Q-K Climax Version Reverse effect of "The Gathering of the Court Cards"
Related to 60
Charles Hudson Charles Hudson's Version Variation of "The Gathering of the Court Cards"
Related toAlso published here 61
Nick Trost Royal Rendevouz Follow the Leader type of routine, with Ambitious Ending
 		63
Nick Trost A Cardman's Puzzle four packets of Jacks, Queen, Kings, assemble to four Jacks, four Queens and four Kings
Variations 64
Frederick Braue Braue Addition
64
Nick Trost Four-Ace Vanish and Recovery Four Aces vanish from deck, and appear back face up in the middle of the deck
Inspired by
  • "Record" (Andre Robert, The Magigram, April 1979)
 67
Frederick Braue Braue Addition
67
Nick Trost Spectator Finds the Aces spectator selects two cards from spread, the two cards adjacent to each selection shown to be Aces
Inspired by 68
Frederick Braue Braue Reversal
68
Bill Simon Simon Prophecy Force
69
Nick Trost Aces From Nowhere two methods
Variations 70
Cross Cut Force
71
Nick Trost Triumph Ace Opener Four Ace Triumph
Related to
  • "Flip-Flop Triumph" (Jon Racherbaumer, Lecture Notes, 1982)
Variations 		72
Cross Cut Force
72
Tenkai Ishida Optical Revolve
72
Daryl Martinez Triumph Cutting Display Variation
 		73
Nick Trost, Stewart Judah Second Method Different method for "Triumph Ace Opener", first appeared in The New Tops, May 1981 (First part of method credited to Stewart Judah)
Inspired by
  • "Ace Opener for Experts" (Stewart Judah, The Magic World of Stewart Judah, 1966)
Related to 		74
Sid Lorraine Slop Shuffle
74
Nick Trost Four Ace Disclosure
Also published here 75
Daryl Martinez Triumph Cutting Display
75
Nick Trost Ace Stop
Related to 76
Nick Trost Double Discovery spectator cuts deck into three piles, piles are assembled face-up/face-down, then face-up cards are removed and rest dealt out into four hands, top and bottom cards of the piles consist of Kings and Aces (Principle originator unknown in, but possibly from "A Prediction", Ralph W. Hull, 1932)
Inspired byVariations 77
Nick Trost Peek-A-Boo Aces Pointer Principle to tell which Ace was selected
Related to 79
Nick Trost Flapjack Aces three Aces turn over at once
Also published here 80
Nick Trost, Shigeo Takagi Topsy Turvy Aces Handling by Shigeo Takagi, performed on Card and Coin Magic (1989)
 		81
Tenkai Ishida Optical Revolve
82
Nick Trost Observation Test with Aces Black Aces change to red Aces, black Aces shown to have vanished and then reappears on faced halves
 		83
Nick Trost False Deal Deluxe pseudo false deal of a straight after one honest riffle shuffle
Also published here 87
Nick Trost Bottoms, Seconds and Centers Demo Pseudo demo (with duplicate card)
 		88
Nick Trost The Penney Paradox sucker bet
Related to
  • Trine (Lewis Jones, 2002)
  • "Penney-Ante" (Walter Penney, The Journal of Recreational Mathematics, Oct 1969)
  • "On the Paradoxical Situations that Arise from Nontransitive Relations" (Martin Gardner, Scientific American, Oct 1974)
 89
Nick Trost Handsome Bridge Hand Dealing perfect bridge hand from shuffled deck, with stud poker demo to set it up
 		92
Nick Trost Odd Man Wins! presentation by Mack Picknick
VariationsAlso published here 93
Nick Trost, Al Thatcher The Omega Bet - Updated Multiple prediction of whether selected cards matched color, last phase uses Gilbreath
Inspired byRelated toVariations 96
Nick Trost, Stewart Judah Horse Race Ace as horses, run a miniature racetrack, uses matches
Inspired by
  • "Derby" (Tony Koynini, 1952)
Related to
  • "Horse Race" (John Scarne, Scarne on Cards, 1949)
 99
Nick Trost Second Method alternative method for "Horse Race" using Gilbreath Principle
Also published here 102
Nick Trost, Al Thatcher, Tom Hubbard Automatic Poker - A Different Handling Uses packet of eleven cards masquerading as ten
Inspired by 106
Nick Trost Tenkai Poker Deal Cards shuffled face up/down, poker hands are dealt, only magician gets face down cards (plot credited to Persi Diaconis, routine inspired by Ricky Jay's routine on Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women)
 		108
Nick Trost, Ken Beale Ten-Card Poker Deal - Trost Routine Three phases, second phase is Ken Beale's idea
Also published here 109
Tenkai Ishida Optical Revolve
109
Nick Trost, Stewart Judah Eighteen-Card Poker Uses concept of a morphing Jonah card that changes every phase (presentation by Stewart Judah)
Related to
  • "Psych-Out" (Bruce Bernstein, 1985)
  • "The Cincinnati Kid Poker Game" (Tony Binarelli, Gary Ouellet's The Magic of Tony Binarelli, 1991)
VariationsAlso published here 		111
Nick Trost High-Card Poker Deal poker deal from packet of high cards, spectators receive Ace-high straights, performer gets winning four of a kind, uses Gilbreath principle
Also published here 113
Nick Trost Calling the Hands
Inspired by 115
Nick Trost Psychic Poker similar to previous "Calling the Hands"
 		117
Charlier Charlier Shuffle
117
Nick Trost Spectator's Card Trick
Related to 119
Nick Trost Kissed and Divined (Improved) Two card prediction using faced halves (original idea by Richard Himber)
Inspired by 120
Nick Trost A Premonition two prediction cards match selection by value and suit separately
Variations 121
Nick Trost Predicting One of Six Cards moving counter on row of cards
Inspired by
  • "See No Evil - Hear No Evil" (Clyde Cairy & Peter Tappan, The New Tops, 1967)
Also published here 		122
Nick Trost Seven Card Draw Prediction predicted number of red/black cards selected, taking cards from top and bottom
 		123
Nick Trost Double Poker Hand Prediction Comes from Bill Miesel's notes, performed in 1968
 		124
Nick Trost Cards and Dice Prediction Pair of dice used, includes presentation idea by Mack Picknick
 		125
Nick Trost, Stewart Judah O-Aces Red backed and blue backed Aces, predict selected Ace/color of back (presentation by Stewart Judah), includes ideas by Stewart Judah (double envelopes) and Tom Hubbard (Himber wallet)
Related to 127
Nick Trost Time Will Tell Clock trick
Also published here 131
Nick Trost M-U-M Miracle
Inspired by
  • "Thought-O-Card" (G. P. Appaduri, M-U-M, March 1971)
 132
Nick Trost Significator Five-Spot Significator Five-Spotface-up five used to count to selection, counted cards are the four Aces
Also published here 134
Nick Trost X Marks the Spot Selection turns up the same time as a marked card
Related toVariations 135
Nick Trost Lost and Found
136
Nick Trost Subtle Location with the Gilbreath Principle
137
Nick Trost The Lone Stranger Card located by being in bank of opposite colors
Also published here 138
Nick Trost Double Revelation with Cards and Dice Pair of dice to locate card, and prediction of numbers on dice
Inspired byRelated to 139
Nick Trost Double Shock! Two spectators find each other's card
Inspired by 141
Nick Trost The Eliminator uses gaffed dice (mis-spotted) to locate card in one of six piles, credit info for plot given to publication in Nouvelles Recreations, Physiques et Mathematiques (Gilles-Edme Guyot, 1740)
Inspired byVariations 142
Cross Cut Force
142
Bill Simon Simon Prophecy Force Al Thatcher's version
 		142
George Sands, Mitsunobu Matsuyama "Lucky 13" Force Using a fair dice to force bottom card of seven card packet, by eliminating cards at rolled number repeatedly, independently discovered by Mitsunobu Matsuyama
 		144
Nick Trost Nick's Push-Thru Card Tunnel (tunnel change plot) without gaffs, includes history information for tunnel change plot
Inspired byRelated toVariationsAlso published here 145
Johnny Thompson, Stewart Judah Thompson-Judah Version Variation on "Nick's Push-Thru"
Inspired by 147
Nick Trost Lineup Gilbreath Principle, arranging face up/down cards in same order
Variations 149
Nick Trost Believe It or Not! mixed cards become ordered and ordered cards become mixed (improved method from original, published in The Linking Ring, February 1955)
Inspired byAlso published here 150
Nick Trost What's In A Name? Spell spectator's name to locate card (credit info for plot origin)
Related toAlso published here 153
Nick Trost This Is Your Card - With a Punch Spelling location with five cards, produce four Aces
Inspired by 154
Nick Trost Automatic Lie Speller Lie Detector with verification
Related toVariationsAlso published here 155
Nick Trost Kings Royale two decks, four cards selected from each, all turn out to be Kings
Inspired byVariations 159
Nick Trost Intuition two reversed selections match / same position in decks
Inspired byAlso published here 161
Nick Trost Blind-Sight Gilbreath principle, shuffle two decks together
Variations 162
Nick Trost Ambitious Ace, Deuce, Trey
Inspired by 167
Nick Trost Elevator Cards - Trost Version Four Jumping Jacks with story
Inspired by
  • "Penetration" (Ed Marlo, The Sphinx, June 1948)
 169
Nick Trost The Olram Elevator
Variations 170
Edward Marlo Olram Subtlety
170
Jack Watson Jack Watson's variations Two variations in handling of Nick Trost's The Olram Elevator, first appeared in The New Tops, December 1979
Inspired by 171
Nick Trost Trost on Reset Easy handling with clean finish
Inspired byVariations 172
Nick Trost, U. F. Grant Three Chances in 26 Updated handling of "One Chance in 26" (Nick Trost, The New Tops, May 1965) with Gilbreath and two more selections
Inspired by 175
Nick Trost Miracle Match Up similar to Gemini Mates in plot, two methods
Inspired by
  • "Prospero" (Peter Warlock, The Magigram, February 1980)
Variations 		177
Nick Trost Duo Brainwave no rough/smooth
Inspired by
  • "Ultra Brainwave Deck" (Patrick Page, Abracadabra, May 1982)
 180
Nick Trost Dingle's "Royal Triumph" - Trost Version Four kings with odd backs will change into four selections
Inspired by 182
Ed Balducci Cut Deeper Force
182
Tenkai Ishida Optical Revolve
183
Nick Trost Trost on "Matching the Cards" Four jacks change to Aces, with blank deck ending
Inspired by
  • "Herbert Milton's Rendition of Matching the Cards" (Lewis Ganson, Matching the Cards, 1977)
Related to
  • "Correcting a Mistake" (Hatton & Plate, Magician's Tricks: How They Are Done, 1910)
 184
Nick Trost The Tic-Tac-Toe Divination deck of 'X's and 'O's, match order of 'X's and 'O's.
 		185
Nick Trost, Earle Oakes Technicolor Change First appeared in Precursor X by Bill Miesel, 1986.
Inspired by
  • trick performed by Father Paul Zipfel for 1966 IBM Convention Close Up Competition in Indianapolis
 187
Hindu Shuffle Display
187
The Ten-to-Twenty Force
188
Nick Trost Nick's Stranger in Paradise Spectator thinks of any card and is removed from blue back deck, previously pocketed red deck is found to be missing the thought of card, tabled card is revealed to be it, first published in The New Tops, November 1968
Related to
  • "Thought Anticipated" (Dave Campbell, The Gen, April 1959)
  • "Premonition Outdone" (Stan Lobenstern, 1968)
 189
Nick Trost Mini Match two chosen mini cards match paper clipped predictions of normal sized cards
 		190
U. F. Grant Grant Switch Switch mini cards that are paper clipped on opposite sides of poker sized card, in the action of revealing the faces
 		191
Nick Trost A Clean-Cut Coincidence Spectator coincidentally selects mates, which is predicted by performer
Inspired byVariations
  • "Double Influence" (Tom Mosier, The Linking Ring, May 1995)
 193
Henry Christ The 203rd Force / Henry Christ Force
Related to 194
Nick Trost, Stewart Judah Elimination Selection appears reversed in deck after it has vanished
Related toVariationsAlso published here 194
Nick Trost Second Version Removes double backer in "Elimination"
Inspired by
  • "The Disappearing Card" (Bob Longe, 101 Amazing Card Tricks, 1993)
Related to 		196
Nick Trost Eight-Card Brainwave
VariationsAlso published here 199
Edward Marlo Olram Subtlety
200
Nick Trost Abra-Card-Abra Performer and spectator's selections match, rest of cards are Jokers
Inspired by 201
Nick Trost, Frank Garcia, Dr. Stanley Jaks Kopy Kat Performer and spectator exchange cards from packets, shown to match, other cards are completely different
Inspired byRelated to 202
Nick Trost Klip Joint Two chosen mini cards match two paper clipped prediction cards
 		203
U. F. Grant Grant Switch
205
Nick Trost, U. F. Grant Jumbo Two-Way Split Stewart James's trick with jumbo cards. Prediction idea by U. F. Grant
Inspired by
  • "Split Second" (Stewart James, The New Tops, December 1962)
Variations 		206
Stewart Judah, Paul Swinford Half and Half Two cards are cut in half, follow the leader type of effect
Inspired by
  • "Miracle Mates" (Bob Bell, marketed by Mickey Hades, 1963)
 208
Wild Card Move
210
Nick Trost Trick-Kards Four of a kind turns face down one by one, then change backs, then change suits, follow by appearance of 'X' on backs
Inspired by
  • "Flipped Out" (Ed Hollins, marketed by Emerson & West)
Variations 		211
Brother John Hamman Flushtration Count
213
Dai Vernon Through the Fist Flourish
213
Alex Elmsley Elmsley Count
213
Nick Trost, Al Thatcher Flim-Flam Blank cards print, to three Tens, then change to three Aces to match previously tabled Ace
Inspired by 213
Shigeo Takagi Takagi Turnover Count
214
Dai Vernon Through the Fist Flourish
215
Nick Trost Showdown three phase Ten Card Poker Deal routine, last phase is stud poker. Includes Tom Hubbard's handling at the end.
Related toVariationsAlso published here 216
Tom Hubbard Tom Hubbard's Handling of "Showdown"
Inspired byAlso published here 219
Nick Trost Nick's Expanding Cards Mini poker hand grows in size to poker-size, gimmick could have inspired Micro Macro
Inspired by
  • "Lohrey's Enlarging Cards" (Carl Lohrey, marketed in The Linking Ring, 1950s)
VariationsAlso published here 		220
Brother John Hamman Flushtration Count
221
Nick Trost Maxi-Twisto Twisting the Aces with Royal Flush ending
Inspired by
  • "A Twist on Maxi" (Mike Gallo, Genii, August 1986)
Related to
  • "Maxi-Twist" (Roger Smith, 1976)
 222
Alex Elmsley Elmsley Count
223
Nick Trost Gilbreath Aces Four Aces lost in deck, spectator deals through deck and locates Aces
Inspired by
  • an Ace opener described by Oscar Weigle Jr. (The Dragon, June 1939), credited to Steve Belchou
 225
Nick Trost, Al Thatcher Crooked Dealing Pseudo gambling demo for seconds, bottoms and centers
Inspired by 228
Nick Trost Zens-Gilbreath Poker Deal Any poker hand called for
Inspired byRelated to 232
Nick Trost The Perfecto Bridge Deal duplicate Spades
VariationsAlso published here
  • The New Tops, Feb. 1969
 235
Nick Trost Straight Poker Deal deal from shuffled deck, spectators get straight, performer get full house
VariationsAlso published here
  • "Poker Demonstration with Special Pack" (New Tops, June 1969)
 236
Nick Trost Pinochle Deal uses Pinochle deck
 		239
Nick Trost Pitch Deal Game called "Pitch"
 		242
Nick Trost Twenty-Deck Poker Deal Poker with twenty cards
Related to
  • "The Hokey-Poker Deck" (Jim Lucier, The New Tops, March 1978)
 245
Charlier Charlier Shuffle
246
Svengali Shuffle
247
Nick Trost Seven-Spades Bridge Deal partner and performer get all the Spades
Related to 251
Nick Trost Seven-No-Trump Bridge Deal partner and performer get no-trump hands
 		253
Nick Trost In-Between Deal Game called In-Between, uses poker chips
 		254
Svengali Shuffle
255
Nick Trost Gin Rummy Deal
257
Svengali Shuffle
259
Nick Trost Coon Can Deal Gives description and history of game
 		261
Nick Trost Special-Deck Blackjack-Poker Deal Blackjack and poker combined demo
Related to 265
Nick Trost Canasta Deal
Related to 270
Nick Trost Uruguay Canasta Deal
Related to 273
Nick Trost International Canasta Deal
274
Nick Trost, Stewart Judah The Odd Set Performer mentally influences spectator to select "odd" pile of ESP cards
 		278
Nick Trost The Third Dimension Performer predicts three chosen ESP symbols
Inspired by 281
Lin Searles The "So-Simple" Force
281
Nick Trost ES-Pair-ity Selected pair of ESP cards to be matching, other pairs don't match
Inspired by 282
Nick Trost, Stewart Judah Metaphysics Performer divines two thought of ESP symbols by producing it from pocketed deck
VariationsAlso published here
  • "ESP Card Session", 1965
 284
Charlier Charlier Shuffle
284
Nick Trost Sym-sational Divine three peeked symbols
 		285
Charlier Charlier Shuffle
285
Nick Trost Million to One ESP Five ESP cards freely selected, found to consist of unique symbols (no repeat)
Related to 286
Down-Under Deal
287
Nick Trost Geo-Metrick Spectator attempts to match performer's tabled ESP cards, all match
Inspired by
  • "Reds and Blacks" (Jerry Mentzer, Card Routines Number Two, 1962)
 288
Nick Trost, Al Thatcher Symbol Discernment Detect ESP symbols by sense of touch
Inspired by
  • "Suit Discernment" (Paul J. Flory, The Linking Ring, Jan 1979)
 290
Nick Trost ESP Sixth-Thot Predict thought of symbol
Related to 292
Nick Trost ESP Janus
Inspired by 294
Nick Trost Telespo Performer matches symbols, spectator fails, and then performer divines symbols from different room
Related toVariations 297
Nick Trost Dream of the Hermit
Inspired byVariations 302
Ed Balducci Cut Deeper Force
304
Elmer Biddle Biddle Move
Related to
  • "Transcendent" (Elmer Biddle, Genii, April 1947)
 305
Frederick Braue Braue Addition
306
Frederick Braue Braue Reversal
Related to
  • "The Reverses - Fourth Method" (Jean Hugard & Frederick Braue, The Royal Road to Card Magic, 1948)
 307
, Dai Vernon Breather Crimp
Related to 308
Charlier Charlier Shuffle
Related to 309
Max Holden Criss-Cross Force
Related to
  • "The New Knife and Selected Cards" (Max Holden, The Magical Monthly (Bagshawe), July 1925)
 311
Ed Balducci Cut Deeper Force
Related to
  • Little Card Rise (1949)
  • "All Fair Coincidence" (Ed Balducci & Ken Krenzel, Hugard's Magic Monthly, November 1956)
 312
Laurie Ireland, Dai Vernon Double Undercut Includes Stewart Judah variation
Related to 313
Alex Elmsley Elmsley Count "Ghost Count" or "Counting Four as Four"
Related to
  • "The Four Card Trick" (Alex Elmsley, marketed 1959)
 314
Brother John Hamman, Norman Houghton Flushtration Count
315
Norman Gilbreath Gilbreath Principle
Related to
  • "Magnetic Colors" (Norman Gilbreath, The Linking Ring, July 1958)
 316
Edward Marlo, S. W. Erdnase Marnase False Cut
Related to 317
Edward Marlo Olram Subtlety
318
Bob Haskell Reverse Double Undercut
Related to
  • (Alton Sharpe, Expert Card Conjuring, 1976)
 320
Arthur Finley Riffle Force
320
Si Stebbins Si Stebbins Setup Syrian card manipulator Selim Cid taught Si Stebbins a version of the setup in 1895. Popularised by Howard Thurston in Howard Thurston's Card Tricks, 1901.
 		321
Bill Simon Simon Prophecy Move
Related to 322
Svengali Shuffle
324
Swing Cut
324
Tenkai Ishida Tenkai Move Optical Revolve
Related to 325
Nick Trost Sources List of trick sources
 		327
Data entered by Harapan Ong, December 2015.