Magicians Only Gags

133 entries in Cards / Effect Themes / Gags & Curiousities / Magicians Only Gags
Creators Title Comments & References Year Source Page AA Categories
Unknown Faire croire qu'on fait avec une adresse merveilleuse une opération qu'on fait sans adresse having made a classic pass before, pretend to make a fair cut, to then pretend to make an invisible pass from any movements, faking the pass
 		1786 Testament de Jérôme Sharp 180
Victor Farelli A "Sucker Gag" apparently strippers are used
 		1933 Farelli's Card Magic — Part Two 68
Harry Houdini The Houdini "Bluff" Change apparently top change is done
 		1933 Farelli's Card Magic — Part Two 71
Victor Farelli For Conjurers Only version of lazy man's card to pocket
 		1933 Farelli's Card Magic — Part Two 93
Tommy Tucker Sucker Card Change fake mexican turnover
 		1933 Expert Manipulative Magic 12
Tommy Tucker The Perfect Shift double lift to fake a pass
 		1933 Expert Manipulative Magic 13
T. Page Wright Magicians' Gag funny message on card, force gag
 		1933 Page Wright's Notebook 21
Unknown Comedy Relief gag for people that know the air pressure turnover, double backer
 		1937 Encyclopedia of Card Tricks 126
U. F. Grant The Vanishing Mirror aces are found without looking at faces, apparently with mirror that vanishes, one-way backs
 		1937 Encyclopedia of Card Tricks 152
Russel Swan Gaglets gag, doing the pass openly
 		1942 The Phoenix 1-50 (Issue 3) 12
Edward Marlo Super Reading apparently magician can read marks extremely fast, punch deal
 		1947 Marlo In Spades 24
Bruce Elliott Aces??? magician vs. gambler, doing all the moves but getting all four aces, magician's joke
 		1948 The Phoenix 101-150 (Issue 148) 595
Dr. Ben B. Braude Balloon Buster card in on of selected balloon, for magicians, three stooges (!)
 		1951 The Phoenix 201 — 250 (Issue 224) 897
Bill Simon 3. Misdirection Plus pretending to have stripper cards
 		1952 Effective Card Magic 143
"Senator" Clarke Crandall An Impossible Transposition gag description of impossible effect, Lester Overton
 		1952 The Last Word on Cards 26
Jerry Andrus Bounce Cut deck slapped on soft surface, top half bounces back, pass gag for magicians
 		1956 Andrus Deals You In 103
Edward Marlo Full Deck - Five Faros returning 52 cards to their original order after only five faro shuffles
 		1958 Faro Notes 34
Edward Marlo Let's Start Over aces are stacked with faro and four hands are dealt, yet aces are on top again
 		1959 Seconds, Centers, Bottoms 116
Don Tanner Fastest Pass in the World short card duplicate, to fool magicians
 		1963 The New Phoenix 351-400 (Issue 376) 333
John Robbins For Magicians Only double backer changes into selection, see p. 394 for idea by Martin Gardner and p. 398 for idea by Francis Haxton
 		1964 The New Phoenix 351-400 (Issue 390) 388
Karl Fulves Babel impromptu levitation, Bob Still with magicians only gags, Charlie Miller, Al Flosso Cartoon
 		June 1967 The Pallbearers Review Vol. 1-4 (Vol. 2 No. 8) 102
Don Nielson Supremo Deck Switch gag with light switch on card case
Related to
  • p. 146 for comment by Lu Brent
 Oct. 1967 The Pallbearers Review Vol. 1-4 (Vol. 2 No. 12) 128
Karl Fulves What - No Reversal? stripper deck throw offs
 		1970 Faro & Riffle Technique (Issue Third Supplement) 84
Jerry Andrus "Card Miracle Extraordinary" gag description of impossible effect
 		1970 Hierophant (Issue 4) 201
Pete Biro Funkenring Fun
1970 Ireland's Yearbooks (Issue Yearbook 1969-70) 55
Allan Ackerman Snap Change Idea card is exposed, it's another card, magician's gag
 		1970 Magic Mafia Effects 35
Val Andrews For Magicians Only... No. 33, magician's gag for six card repeat, cards glued together in sleeve
 		1970 (ca.) The Idiot at the Card Table 12
Edward Marlo Mock Placement gag for magicians
 		1971 Hierophant (Issue 5-6) 291
Roger Smith The One Handed Faro Miracle gag, deck in order is placed inside case and is found shuffled, one handed Faro shuffle
Variations Jan. 1971 Necromancer (Vol. 1 No. 6) 5
Roger Smith The Ultimate Shift apparently shifting card form center to top
Variations Feb. 1971 Necromancer (Vol. 1 No. 7) 5
Jay Weiler Brainwave Gag
Mar. 1972 The Pallbearers Review Vol. 5-8 (Vol. 7 No. 5) 504
Jimmy Grippo Double Lift Teaser saliva
 		1973 Super Subtle Card Miracles 160
Frank Garcia Double Lift Feint apparent switch
 		1973 Super Subtle Card Miracles 161
Karl Fulves Reverse Strippers openly using stripper deck in off-beat way to fool magicians
 		1973 Riffle Shuffle Technique — Preliminary Notes on Part Two 72
Edward Marlo "For Faro Shuffler Only" deck is separated in reds and blacks, a faro is shuffled, colors still separated
 		1973 Marlo's Objectives 23
Edward Marlo For Magicians Only overhand control to throw off those looking for jogs
 		1974 The Unexpected Card Book 32
Edward Marlo Simulated Master Move two methods
 		1974 The Unexpected Card Book 137
Gustave Southall Pseudo Strippers simulating a stripper deck with Zarrow shuffle
 		1975 Riffle Shuffle Technique — Part One 30
Harry Lorayne The Ultra Move and the Fast Pass
1975 Afterthoughts 19
Francis Carlyle One Hand Pass Locator glimpsing bottom card, for magicians
 		1975 The Magic of Francis Carlyle 81
Roger Smith The Short Card Faro Force peek force in IF condition, faking IF control
 		1975 The Faro Sorcery Trilogy — Number 1 13
Karl Fulves Tunnel Vision gaffed cards change into ungaffed cards (magicians' magic)
 		1976 Epilogue (Issue Special No 5) 305
Edward Marlo For Cardicians Only although they know that card is second from top it is shown on top
Also published here 1977 Marlo's Magazine Volume 2 156
Roger Smith Some Ultimate Pass Ideas pseudo pass for magicians, duplicate
Inspired by 1977 The Ultimate Card Book No. 1 5
Martin A. Nash Slippery Strippers pseudo Stripper Deck demo with normal cards
 		1979 Sleight Unseen 401
Martin A. Nash Faro Flam apparently IF Control is used
 		1979 Sleight Unseen 404
Harry Lorayne Lorayne's Invisible Pass Routine first single cards come to top, then all aces (presented as invisible pass demonstration)
VariationsAlso published here 1979 Quantum Leaps 116
Simon Lovell Two Faced
Oct. 1979 Pabular (Vol. 5 No. 10) 750
Edward Marlo Control Throw-Offs in foreword, magician thinks he follows control of card
  • First Approach
  • Second Approach
  • Third Approach (with riffle shuffle)
VariationsAlso published here 1980 Marlo's Magazine Volume 4
Edward Marlo Control Fake-Outs - Jog Shuffle Fake-Out puzzle magicians that follow the control, two methods
Related to 1980 Hierophant (Issue The Last Hierophant) 38
Edward Marlo I-F Control Fake-Out puzzle magicians that follow the control
 		1980 Hierophant (Issue The Last Hierophant) 38
John Cornelius Fake 21 card trick fake for magicians
 		1980 Cornelius Card System 6
Steve Beam A Hairy Situation shaving deck gag
 		1980 Diary of a Deranged Deck 19
Steve Beam Finger Exercise pun about jogs
 		1980 Diary of a Deranged Deck 19
Steve Beam Relief! fanning powder the deck in the middle of the trick, gag
 		1980 Diary of a Deranged Deck 19
Kevin Justice Two Cuts Better Than One? pun with slip cut
 		1980 Diary of a Deranged Deck 20
Steve Beam Visual Magic running cut pun
 		1980 Diary of a Deranged Deck 20
Steve Beam Keep It Down! pun, rising card
 		1980 Diary of a Deranged Deck 20
Steve Beam Who's The Dummy? gag using Tally-Ho cards
 		1980 Diary of a Deranged Deck 20
Herb Zarrow Faro Throw-Off locator card changes into selection, faro is apparently used as part of method
 		1982 Best of Friends 201
Stephen Tucker Letraset magician's gag, prediction faking to write with a nail writer
 		1983 Spell-Binder (Vol. 2 No. 21) 401
Stephen Tucker Drop-Out devano rising card gag, card attached to thread
Also published here 1984 Spell-Binder (Vol. 3 No. 34) 663
Steve Beam Leftovers a computer gag, Henry Pettit, Dan Garrett, Phil Young, Wayn Kyzer's bear handed production gag, , a coin gag by Dexter Cleveland, Don Morris, a probability impossible trick for magician's by Steve Beam
 		1985 The Trapdoor — Volume One (Issue 8) 140
Edward Marlo Gag Packet Transformation Aces to Kings, sucker flushtration count gag
 		1986 Thirty Five Years Later 1
Edward Marlo Are We Kidding Ourselves Ace of Spades and three blank cards shown, apparently they change into Aces, but remain blank
Also published here 1986 Thirty Five Years Later 50
Ian Baxter The Multifaked Card strange gaffed card as a gag
 		Mar. 1987 Apocalypse (Vol. 10 No. 3) 1321
Piet Forton Piet Forton's Impeccable Variations: Oops!...They Split! double apparently splits, session gag with Impeccable Double
Related to Oct. 1987 Epoptica (Issue 10) 514
Jim Hyams The Roach Trick dead roach appears from two playing cards
 		1987 The Trapdoor — Volume One (Issue 18) 306
Edward Marlo Magician's Transposition using pip-cover displays, for magicians
 		1988 M.I.N.T. — Volume I 105
Edward Marlo Sucker Throw Change pseudo duplicate, right hand empty afterwards
 		1988 M.I.N.T. — Volume I 355
Karl Fulves, Don Stewart on Splitting and Fusion for magicians, dated to 1950s
 		1989 Quick Card Tricks 33
Rafael Benatar El Mago Discreto routine with several techniques which eliminate each other
 		1989 Cartas Certificadas 83
Steve Pressley, Steve Hook, Steve Beam High Rise static electricity, cards stick on finger, also as a gag
 		1990 The Trapdoor — Volume Two (Issue 35) 635
Bill Whittington Sucker Card Switch open spread switch, but cards are not switched when checked
Variations 1990 Swindle Sheet (Issue 1) 3
Tom Craven Signed Wallet to Card Case
1991 Card to Wallet 159
Michael Close First Application of MC Spread Double Lift, as fake side steal to impress magicians
Variations 1991 Workers Number 2 43
Rudolf Braunmüller Aufsitzer & Bierwetten collection of bar bets
  • Verschiedene Wetten
    • Die dreifache Gemeinheit (drinking shot glass under hat without touching)
    • Für Trinkfeste (drinking three beers faster than someone else three shot glasses)
    • Beantwortungs-Wetten
    • Münzenwetten
    • Eine Pokerwette (cards taken openly from face-up deck, yet spectator loses)
    • Die nächste Karte, die ich umdrehe, ist Ihre! (Circus Card trick)
  • Zauberer-Wetten (for magicians)
    • Der Center Tear
    • Der Münzenschnipper
    • Mental-Farbwürfel
    • Der Faro-Mischkünstler
 		June 1991 Intermagic (Vol. 16 No. 2) 79
Al Smith Quarto deck distributed into four plastic wallets for packet tricks, gag
 		1991 Hot Stacks & Cold Decks 21
Bob King Ultra Mental Gag fair force, using Ultra Mental handling with normal deck
 		1992 The Breather 11
Edward Marlo Are We Kidding Ourselves Ace of Spades and three blank cards shown, apparently they change into Aces, but remain blank
Also published here 1992 A Final Farewell Lecture 17
Jerry Fulton Red Herring sucker problem of having spectator separate a small packet into reds and blacks
 		1993 Rigmarole (Issue 3) 32
Richard Bartram, Jr. The Bicycle Hoax apparently Bicylce cards have one-way design, using the Hole Shuttle card
 		1993 Mystification 15
Eddie Fechter Faro Pairs magician's gag, Faro with alternate pairs
 		1993 Fechter 71
Eddie Fechter The Three Devils joke with cards
Also published here 1993 Fechter 124
Sid Fleischman A Magic Club Roast card finding routine with gags for magicians, sleights listed on post-it
 		1993 The Charlatan's Handbook 136
Horace Goldin, John Northern Hilliard "How It Is Done", or "The Indeceptive Deception", or "One For The Wise Ones" sucker key card placement to throw off magicians
 		1994 More Greater Magic 1207
Robert Parrish All I Know About Cards (In About Five Minutes) funny sequence for magicians in which sleights are demonstrated with a deck of only two cards
 		1995 Great Tricks Revisited 76
Justin Hanes Strip Tease apparently stripper deck is used
 		1996 The Looking Glass (Issue 1) 36
Karl Fulves Fail Safe card case with "Ultra Mental Deck" sticker
 		1996 13 Prophets 24
Dominique Duvivier Setting a Trap Sandwich routine, sucker effect for magicians
 		1996 Magie Duvivier 170
Stephen Tucker Durchgefallen devano rising card gag, card attached to thread
Also published here 1996 Intermagic (Vol. 20 No. 4&5) 182
Roger Klause Two Teasers - First Teaser fake multiple lift demo with apparently thick block
Variations 1997 Virtual Foolery 14
Roger Klause Second Teaser depth illusion / Vernon-Houdini ambitious phase teaser for magicians
 		1997 Virtual Foolery 15
Simon Lovell The World's Only Blue-Backed Double-Faced Card! gag
  • Bonus Magicians-Only Gag Number One
  • Bonus Magicians-Only Gag Number Two
 		1997 Simon Says! 149
R. Paul Wilson Incomplete Inslow pseudo Incomplete Faro Control, actually a riffle force
 		1997 The Inslow Effect 15
Ken Simmons Dealing With the Aces Aces on top, two faro shuffles given, Aces are still on top, using Tilt Faro Shuffle
  • Second Method
Variations Oct. 1997 Onyx (Issue 1) 7
Edward Marlo, Don May Dealing With the Aces II Aces on top, two faro shuffles given, Aces are still on top, deck ends red-black separated
  • Second Method (Edward Marlo - Don May)
  • Third Method (Edward Marlo - Don May)
  • Fourth Method (Edward Marlo)
Inspired by Oct. 1997 Onyx (Issue 1) 10
Karl Fulves Shiner Gag mirror covered with tape
 		1998 Combo 39
Unknown Gesellschaftsscherze hiding several cards in apartment of magic friend
 		1998 Intermagic (Vol. 22 No. 1) 25
Milton Kort The Off-color Twenty-one-Card Trick twenty-one card trick with a color changing back ending, done as a magician gag/fooler
 		1999 Kort 49
Ellis Stanyon Pass to Deceive a Conjurer No. 20, fake pass demonstration
Variations 1999 Ellis Stanyon's Best Card Tricks 234
Karl Fulves Supplementary Note fake pass demonstration
Inspired by 1999 Ellis Stanyon's Best Card Tricks 235
David Malek Magicians Monte with sucker moves, two phases
 		2001 Rebel without a Pause 30
Harry Lorayne Lorayne's Invisible Pass Routine first single cards come to top, then all aces (presented as invisible pass demonstration)
Also published here Nov. 2001 Genii (Vol. 64 No. 11) 44
Lewis Jones Strip tease stripper functionality shown by locating a single card, but uses normal deck
 		2002 Ahead of the Pack 25
Tony Bartolotta Sorry I'm Late showing only the climaxes of different tricks, gag for magicians
 		2002 Discoverie (Issue 7) 90
Karl Fulves The Other Way apparently one-way back locations are done with a borrowed deck
 		2003 Off The Books (Issue 9) 175
Zenneth Kok A Touché Pass pseudo one-handed pass demonstration, card visually appears on top and vanishes again to the center with deck held in right-hand end grip
 		Mar. 2003 Ego (Vol. 2 No. 14) 5
Karl Fulves Pseudo Hummer fooling magicians who know the Hummer CATO trick
 		2005 Combo II 46
Bob Ostin The 'Helical' Card Trick gag description of impossible effect
Related to 2005 Bob Ostin — A Lifetime of Magical Inventions 45
Bob Ostin The Serendipity Card Change backpalm gag for magicians, card shrinks on back of hand
Also published here
  • "The Serendipity Card Change" in "Abracadabra" Nr. 1564. January, 1976.
 2005 Bob Ostin — A Lifetime of Magical Inventions 80
Bob Ostin Well Done! gag to use for kid magician, well done written on card
 		2005 Bob Ostin — A Lifetime of Magical Inventions 137
Arthur Trace Who You Fooling? (Gag for magicians) A top change is apparently executed, but card is shown not to have switched
 		2006 It's All Relative 28
Dai Vernon Cutting The Aces spectator cuts to the Aces, with sucker moves as magician fooler
 		2006 Prolix (Issue 1) 10
Dai Vernon A Revelation spectator reverses four cards behind his back, all turn out to be Aces, apparently a key card location trick is explained, SBS deck
Related to 2006 Prolix (Issue 1) 11
Doug Edwards Short Again stripping card out, deck can be examined
 		2006 Brass Knuckles 95
Bruce Cervon Faro Fooler from NDO to NDO with two faros, double index cards
 		2007 Bruce Cervon's Castle Notebooks — Volume 1 32
Benjamin Earl Cloak & Dagger Top Tip... getting from Si Stebbins into Mnemonica, joke
 		2009 Gambit (Issue 1) 21
Justin Higham Gambler's Cop Applications combined with Illogical Dribble Force
Related to 2009 Notes on the Illogical Dribble Force 29
Eddie Fechter The Three Devils joke with cards
Also published here 2012 The F.F.F.F. Book 185
Chris Mayhew Trinado gag flourish cut
 		2013 Seventeen Secrets — Volume 2 37
Kevin Ho The Box Prediction barcode gag
 		2014 Stupid Horrible Immature Tricks 14
Kevin Ho Not Even Close Kolossal Killer spoof
 		2014 Stupid Horrible Immature Tricks 22
Kevin Ho The Professor's Revenge
Inspired by 2014 Stupid Horrible Immature Tricks 29
Joseph Barry A Ruse for Magicians... "the false, real shuffle ruse"
Also published here 2014 Fifty 6
Daniel Madison FSWE Shift Method to fake an SWE Shift
 		2014 Placebo 37
Harapan Ong Have a Break, Have a Kit Kat kit kat bar appears from deck of cards
 		2018 Principia 190
Scott Robinson Count On Me destroying a card while doing a trick for another magician
 		2018 Semi-Automatic Card Tricks — Volume 11 46
Tom Gagnon Bluff Tilt pseudo tilt ambitious card phase
 		2019 Gagnon Unfiltered 157
Steve Forte Holding Out Ace cutting fails, then Aces shown to be palmed
 		2020 Gambling Sleight Of Hand — Volume 2 1012
Edward Marlo For Cardicians Only although they know that card is second from top it is shown on top
Also published here 2021 Output (Issue 17) 26
Edward Marlo Tilt For Magicians
2021 Output (Issue 17) 29
Scott Baird One Way, All The Way one-way forcing deck, card signed on the back, it is found from the faces
 		Sep. 2022 The Hermit (Vol. 1 No. 9) 432