130 entries in Cards / Principles / Placement Principles / Free Cut Principle
Creators Title Comments & References Year Source Page AA Categories
Eddie Joseph The Blind Magician Does a Trick performer blindfolded via spectator's hand (human blindfold) or blindfold, two spectators with half the deck each cut off piles and make two selections, deck assembled, performer finds both
  • Method One
  • Method Two
  • Method Three
1949 8
Straight Cut Placement
Related to 1952 50
Gene Finnell Free Cut Principle
Related toVariations 1967 1
Gene Finnell Coincidence? two selected cards in two piles turn up at the same position
1967 2
Gene Finnell Togetherness two piles, two selected cards end up together
1967 4
Gene Finnell Togetherness Repeat cutting to two selected cards
1967 4
Gene Finnell Caught Between
1967 5
Gene Finnell Caught Between Repeat behind back
1967 7
Gene Finnell Whew! two cards selected
1967 7
Gene Finnell Aces at Random four cards face up, value of each is dealt and four aces found, spectator decides in which order
1967 10
Gene Finnell Your Number - Your Card four cards face up, value of each is dealt and four selections are found, spectators decide in which order
1967 15
Gene Finnell Ups and Downs Aces are put back at different places and cut into face up and face down piles, all cards end up the same way except the Aces
1967 19
Gene Finnell Aces Respelled four Aces are spelled
Related toVariations 1967 22
John Hamilton Eyes of the Gods two spectators with half the deck each chose a card, spectators deal through deck and performer announces first card, second card spelled to
Related toVariationsAlso published here Aug. 1970 351
Roger Smith Any Number via False Faro Method
  • The Faro Shuffler's Column #1
without actual faro, straight-cut placement ("False Faro")
Related toVariations Aug. 1970
Necromancer (Vol. 1 No. 1)
9
Roger Smith Any Number via False Faro Method - Variations two variations
Inspired by Sep. 1970
Necromancer (Vol. 1 No. 2)
8
Roger Smith The Greatest Faro Trick of the Century card vanish, straight cut placement, faro shuffle and sticky
Sep. 1970
Necromancer (Vol. 1 No. 2)
8
Karl Fulves Two Shuffle Controls: Riffle Placement two selection in incomplete riffle shuffle condition are selected and controlled twenty-six cards apart, two handlings
Related to Nov. 1971
Epilogue (Issue 13)
103
Gene Finnell Klondike Shuffle discussion and properties
1. Mechanics
2. Card location after one shuffle
3. Recycling the deck
4. Klondyke properties (simulating a faro shuffle, locating center card, Penelope's principle)
5. Klondike plus Free Cut
6. The Stacked Deck
Related to 1973 1
Karl Fulves Free Cut Notes intro
Related to 1973 58
Gene Finnell Free Cut Principle Variations with two cards
1973 59
Gene Finnell Variations of the Free Cut Principle two cards, Klondike Shuffle
1973 59
Gene Finnell Coincidence? two selection turn up at same position in two halves
  • Variation #1
  • Variation #2
  • Coincidence? with a Key Card
1973 60
Gene Finnell Free Cut Poker Deal three spectators and performer take out good poker hand from a quarter of the deck each, they are lost and dealt again, performer gets Royal Flush, faro
  • Variation wich allows the deck to be cut during the shuffles
  • Free Cut Poker Demonstration
Related to 1973 62
Gene Finnell Spelling the Aces #1,001
1973 67
Gene Finnell Spelling the Aces Number (?) faro
1973 68
Gene Finnell Cutting the Aces, Free Cut Style Aces cut to after losing them with Free Cut principle, with two variations
1973 70
Gene Finnell Make Up two selection cut into deck, faro, cards on either side have same value and suit (composite)
1973 75
John Hamilton Die Augen Gottes two spectators with half the deck each chose a card, spectators deal through deck and performer announces first card, second card spelled to
Also published here July 1973
Intermagic (Vol. 1 No. 1)
4
John Miller Riffle Ups and Downs based on Gene Finnell's "Ups and Downs" (Free Cut Principle)
1974 216
Gene Finnell Free Cut Principle
1975 70
Gene Finnell Free Cut Principle
1975 99
Gene Finnell Free Cut Principle
1975 77
Jerry K. Hartman Hand in Hand Blindfold Poker Deal
Related toAlso published here 1975 45
Karl Fulves Visible Strip-Out handling for "Riffle Placement"
Related to 1979 6
Gerald Kosky Scorpio Rising 24 index cards, two are selected and marked, cards are in clock layout and both end up at same number
1981
Magick (Issue 283)
1413
Al Smith Reaper Jacks, Queens, Kings and Aces lost and then dealt out in a deal, one group to each of four spectators, faro
1981 11
Roy Walton Sign of Four mathematical, faro, free cut principle
1982 95
Gene Finnell, Philip T. Goldstein Free Cut Procedure Variation
1982 6
Gene Finnell Free-Cut Principle for spelling routine
1984 17
Brother John Hamman Second In Command three selections cut to and lost, they are the last cards left over after pseudo false dealing demonstration
1984 27
Gene Finnell Free Cut Principle
1986 62
Murray Bonfeld Double Poker Control faro, Free-Cut Principle
Inspired by Sep. 1986
Apocalypse (Vol. 9 No. 9)
1256
Gene Finnell Free Cut Principle
1987 25
Gene Finnell Free Cut Principle
1989 203
Bob King Pseudo Ten Hand Stack one shuffle, free cut principle
Also published here 1989 9
Jon Racherbaumer, Bob Farmer On the Free-Cut Principle credit information
1990 4
Jerry Sadowitz Trick Three three cards cut to and remembered, they end up together after a faro
Inspired by Oct. 1991
Profile (Issue 4)
1
Jerry K. Hartman Hand in Hand Blindfold Poker Deal
Also published here 1991 443
Bob King 10 Hand Poker Stack with free cut principle
VariationsAlso published here 1993 5
Dave Campbell Auto-Matic Speller three cards cut into packets and spelled to, banks of cards with the same number of letters
Also published here June 1993
Profile (Issue 14)
2
Peter Duffie Principles and Deceptions "An Easy Trip Through The Arithmetical Principles Of Card Magic - Part 5"
  • The Free Cut Principle
Dec. 1993
Profile (Issue 17)
5
Roger Crosthwaite Free Count Aces Aces cut into deck, found again
  • Variation One: Faro Shuffle
  • Variation Two: Overhand-Faro Combination
Inspired by 1994 109
Aldo Colombini Hats Off three-card location
1994 30
Dave Campbell Freely Cutting and Spelling three cards cut into packets and spelled to, banks of cards with the same number of letters
Also published here Nov. 1994
Magic (Vol. 4 No. 3)
67
Peter Duffie Credit Information
1995 69
Allan Slaight Heavy Breather crimp, packets
Inspired byAlso published here Apr. 1995
Apocalypse (Vol. 18 No. 4)
2487
Simon Aronson Self Centered two cards chosen by cutting and shuffling packets, procedure similar to one-pile free cut
Inspired by 1995 187
Richard Vollmer Thrice Nice divided deck, see also p. 2819
Jan. 1997
Apocalypse (Vol. 20 No. 1)
2737
Peter Duffie Divided We Lie Lie Detector with two selections in two piles, kicker where selection is different color from rest of the packet
Inspired by 1997 48
Peter Duffie Dead Certain Location Value of magician's selected card finds spectator's card, impossible location (based on Richard Vollmer effect, unnamed)
1997 81
Gene Finnell Free Cut Principle
1998 55
Roy Walton All Hands on Deck Joker changes into two selections, "in hands approach to Gene Finell's Free Cut principle"
1998 74
Gene Finnell Free Cut Principle
1999 23
Baltazar Fuentes Finnel Finessed four Aces lost and found
2000 45
Steve Beam Pile Driver card is found by spelling
Also published here 2000 58
Gene Finnell Free Cut Principle
2001 14
Darwin Ortiz Combination Cull free cut principle, faros
Inspired byVariations 2002 14
Gene Finnell Free Cut Principle
2002 14
Gene Finnell Free Cut Principle
2002 80
Peter Duffie, Robin Robertson The Pathfinders three cards chosen and lost (similar to Free Cut Principle procedure without using it), they come back to the top of three piles, then they all come to top of deck
  • Phase 1: Identifying the Pathfinders
  • Phase 2: The Pathfinders Form a Team
  • Final Phase: Send Out the Search Party
Related to
  • "Spectator Cuts to the Aces" (Frank Garcia lecture notes)
2003 126
James Swain Shuffle Tracking
  • The Card Expert
Combination Aces with red-black separation climax
Related toVariationsAlso published here Apr. 2003
Genii (Vol. 66 No. 4)
32
Jerry Sadowitz Three Card Control crimp and faro, inspired by Finnell's Free Cut Principle
Related to 2004 25
Dave Campbell Automatic Speller three cards cut into packets and spelled to, banks of cards with the same number of letters
Also published here 2004 63
Grace Ann Morgan Setting The Combination Vernon's Aces with Free Cut Principle and stack to get packets of right size
2004 32
Gene Finnell, John Hamilton Free Cut Principle
2005 9
Karl Fulves 13 O'Clock two cards chosen with cutting procedure are found
Inspired by 2005 56
James Swain Shuffle Tracking
  • The Card Expert
Combination Aces with red-black separation climax
Also published here May 2005
Genii (Vol. 68 No. 5)
32
Ronald A. Wohl (Ravelli) Noah's Ark (Two By Two) two piles of fifteen cards, two selection are found by using an elimination deal
Related to 2006 64
Marty Kane Mix Master spelling and down-under deal, theme is mixing cards
2006 92
Michael Powers The 7 Card 21 Card Trick
  • Telephone Method
Inspired by 2006 125
Michael Powers Cut and Run ideas of placement principle
  • Simple COincidence
  • Faro 53
  • Use of a Special Key Card
  • Non Faro Method
  • Another Approach
Inspired byRelated to 2006 131
Harry Lorayne Simplified Swain, Plus Aces lost and found with free-cut principle, colors separated, two selections found
Inspired byAlso published here July 2006
Genii (Vol. 69 No. 7)
24
Jon Racherbaumer Speed Reader III performer apparently memorizes deck, names position of two selections, faro divider
Inspired by Aug. 2006
Antinomy (Vol. 2 No. 3)
16
Edward Marlo Straight Cut Placement
Nov. 2006
Antinomy (Vol. 2 No. 4)
6
Harry Lorayne Simplified Swain, Plus Aces lost and found with free-cut principle, colors separated, two selections found
Inspired byAlso published here 2007 442
Don May, David Solomon Nine or Ten Hands Nines stacked for nine players, then Aces dealt in ten-hand stack with straight flush for performer
2007 123
Edward Marlo Straight Cut Placement with explanation by Tomas Blomberg
Related to 2007 29
Steve Beam Pile Driver card is found by spelling
Also published here 2007 92
Gene Castillon "Odd Chance" 21 Card Trick two selections
Inspired by 2007 140
Gene Castillon Random Spell & Odd Chance 21 Card Trick two selections
Related to 2007 143
Gene Castillon Triple Odd Chance 21 Card Trick three selections
Variations 2007 145
Gene Castillon Dishonest 21 Card Trick using a secret extra card, four selections
2007 152
Lennart Green The Bloodhound tantalizer deal with thirty-two cards, a face-up card and a selection remain in last pile
2008 29
Lennart Green S M L - Small Medium Large three-card location, located by spelling or other means
  • Alternative Endings
  • Down/Under Deal
  • The Turbo Down/Under Deal (3D/1U)
  • More Ideas
2008 44
Allan Slaight Heavy Breather crimp, packets
Also published here 2008 128
Allan Slaight, Max Maven Finnell Finale Finish
Inspired by
  • Stewart James's version of Gene Finnell's "Spelling the Aces"
Also published here
  • The James File, 2000
2008 150
Allan Slaight Miraskiller Miraskill and Shuffle-board combination, shuffled deck
Related to 2008 171
Nick Trost Shuffle Tracking the Aces Aces lost, then found with counting procedure and dice, deck separated in suits
Inspired by 2009 376
Tom Stone Freedom Cuts choreography for the selection & replacement procedure for Free Cut Principle
Also published here 2009 16
Tom Stone Memorized Deck & Free Cut Principle some ideas
Also published here 2009 17
Roy Walton Free Cut Principle Handling choreography for the selection & replacement procedure for Free Cut Principle, see last paragraph
Also published here 2009 17
Tom Stone Freedom Cuts choreography for the selection & replacement procedure for Free Cut Principle
Also published here 2010 65
Roy Walton Free Cut Principle Handling choreography for the selection & replacement procedure for Free Cut Principle, see footnote
Also published here 2010 67
Tom Stone Memorized Deck & Free Cut Principle some ideas
Also published here 2010 67
Claude Impériale Sans Skill three cards vanish and appear again reversed
Inspired by 2010 16
Alexander de Cova Free-Cut-Addition crossing hands
Also published here May 2013 9
Jim Steinmeyer, Eddie Joseph Hacer lo Imposible two selections in two piles show up at same position, hands-off
Inspired by
  • "Impossible" (Eddie Joseph, 1952)
2014 17
Paul Vigil High 5.0 five poker hands dealt, four spectators remember one card in their packets, cards redealt, performer reads minds of four spectators
Inspired byVariationsAlso published here 2014 201
Paul Vigil High 5 Remix last card to envelope in wallet
  • An Impromptu Handling: Sans Wallet
Inspired by 2014 215
Alexander de Cova Free-Cut-Addition crossing hands
Also published here 2015 221
John Hostler Visions of Saragossa Poker Deal four cards cut to in four piles, deck shuffled face-up/face-down, poker hand dealt, all cards face-up except performer's card with the selections
Also published here 2016 128
John Hostler Packet Displacement moving a packet to the other side
2016 129
John Hostler Visions of Saragossa Poker Deal four cards cut to in four piles, deck shuffled face-up/face-down, poker hand dealt, all cards face-up except performer's card with the selections
Also published here Jan. 2016
Genii (Vol. 79 No. 1)
54
John Hostler Packet Displacement moving a packet to the other side
Jan. 2016
Genii (Vol. 79 No. 1)
55
Harry Lorayne Simplified Swain, Plus Aces lost and found with free-cut principle, colors separated, two selections found
Inspired byAlso published here 2017 126
Kevin Kelly Klondike Kelly Card selected and lost via Klondike shuffle, found at position indicated by number of cards spectator cut off previously
Oct. 2018
Elixir (Vol. 2 No. 1 (Summer #2))
71
David Solomon Free-Cut Thought Kings cut into deck, Kings come together and Aces appear reversed in deck as well, faro
  • A Cool Discovery (variations with Queens)
Inspired by
  • "Free Cut Marriages" (Nick Trost, Subtle Card Creations - Volume 4)
2018 96
John Guastaferro Spectral card vanishes from packet and appears between two named cards
Jan. 2018
Genii (Vol. 81 No. 1)
59
Gene Finnell The Gene Finnell Free-Cut Principle
2019 8
Ramón Riobóo Free Cut, Spell and Reinhard magician finds three freely chosen cards by divination, spelling and with sandwich
Variations 2019 125
Tony Cabral Lessons in Dishonesty
  • First Lesson: Card Memory
  • Second Lesson: Card Control (combination cull)
  • Third Lesson: Full Deck Control (bridge deal into suits)
Inspired by 2019 1
Steve Forte Target Practice black Aces in one half and red Aces in the other half, halves shuffled together and all Aces are together
  • 1st phase
  • 2nd phase (simplified free-cut principle and table faro)
2020 871
Howard Hamburg Dry Spell four Aces are placed in the deck and then spelled to, repeated, first with a Faro the with Free-Cut Principle
Variations 2020 29
Steve Beam The Randomized Lie Detector face-up/face-down cards to form a number and to find selection
Inspired by 2020 184
Larry Jennings Free-Cut Poker Deal
2020 378
Rudy Tinoco Free Cut, Spell, and Swinford magician finds three freely chosen cards by touch, smell and with faro sandwich
Inspired by Dec. 2022
The Hermit (Vol. 1 No. 12)
566
Simon Aronson Gimme Five five poker hands dealt, four spectators remember one card in their packets, cards redealt, performer has all four chosen cards in his hand
Related toVariationsAlso published here
  • MAGIC, Aug. 2009
2022 878
Paul Vigil High 5 five poker hands dealt, four spectators remember one card in their packets, cards redealt, performer reads minds of four spectators
Inspired byAlso published here 2022 1074
Straight Cut Placement
Aug. 2023
The Hermit (Vol. 2 No. 8)
962