152 entries in Cards / Effect Themes / Gags & Curiousities / Magicians Only Gags
Creators Title Comments & References Year Source Page AA Categories
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 180
Victor Farelli A "Sucker Gag" apparently strippers are used
1933 68
Harry Houdini The Houdini "Bluff" Change apparently top change is done
1933 71
Victor Farelli For Conjurers Only version of lazy man's card to pocket
1933 93
Tommy Tucker Sucker Card Change fake mexican turnover
1933 12
Tommy Tucker The Perfect Shift double lift to fake a pass
1933 13
T. Page Wright Magicians' Gag funny message on card, force gag
1933 21
Comedy Relief gag for people that know the air pressure turnover, double backer
1937 126
U. F. Grant The Vanishing Mirror Aces are found without looking at faces, apparently with mirror that vanishes, one-way backs
1937 152
Russel Swan Gaglets gag, doing the pass openly
Mar. 1942
The Phoenix (Issue 3)
12
Joseph Keen A Keen Gag key card gag for magicians, key attached to card
Mar. 1946
Hugard's Magic Monthly (Vol. 3 No. 10)
202
Edward Marlo Super Reading apparently magician can read marks extremely fast, punch deal
1947 24
Bruce Elliott Aces??? magician vs. gambler, doing all the moves but getting all four aces, magician's joke
Apr. 1948
The Phoenix (Issue 148)
595
Dr. Ben B. Braude Balloon Buster card in on of selected balloon, for magicians, three stooges (!)
Mar. 1951
The Phoenix (Issue 224)
897
Bill Simon 3. Misdirection Plus pretending to have stripper cards
1952 143
"Senator" Clarke Crandall An Impossible Transposition gag description of impossible effect, Lester Overton
1952 26
Jerry Andrus Bounce Cut deck slapped on soft surface, top half bounces back, pass gag for magicians
1956 103
P. Howard Lyons Out of This Mind gag out of this world version in which one pile is all e.g. Sevens of Diamonds and the other all Six of Clubs duplicates
Apr. 1956
Ibidem (Issue 5)
8
P. Howard Lyons Clown Version 3&3, one color is never shown after the initial display (& switch), all one color at the end
Variations Mar. 1957
Ibidem (Issue 9)
21
Edward Marlo Full Deck - Five Faros returning 52 cards to their original order after only five faro shuffles
1958 34
Ronald A. Wohl (Ravelli) Improved Clown Version fifty-one red cards, as a gag
Inspired by Mar. 1958
Ibidem (Issue 13)
2
Ric Schonblom When You Can't Face It gag when a magician gets handed a "wolf pack" (erotic images), chosen card is still normal
Sep. 1958
Ibidem (Issue 14)
7
Edward Marlo Let's Start Over aces are stacked with faro and four hands are dealt, yet aces are on top again
1959 116
Squelch fellow magician cannot do air-pressure turnover, gag, double backer
1959 6
Tom Ransom From the Subliminal to the Ridiculous one-way forcing deck as gag force
Mar. 1959
Ibidem (Issue 16)
18
Edward Marlo The Illogical Routine Aces are stacked with faros multiple times, but each time come out in an unexpected hand for an unexpected number of players, Aces vanish as finale
Dec. 1959
Ibidem (Issue 19)
18
David Bendix Dear Mr. Lyons one-hand riffle shuffle as a secret sleight, credit information
Related to Mar. 1961
Ibidem (Issue 23)
30
Don Tanner Fastest Pass in the World short card duplicate, to fool magicians
Jan. 1963
The New Phoenix (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
May 1964
The New Phoenix (Issue 390)
388
Karl Fulves Babel impromptu levitation, Bob Still with magicians only gags, Charlie Miller, Al Flosso Cartoon
June 1967 102
Don Nielson Supremo Deck Switch gag with light switch on card case
Related to
  • p. 146 for comment by Lu Brent
Oct. 1967 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
Summer 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 35
Val Andrews For Magicians Only... No. 33, magician's gag for six card repeat, cards glued together in sleeve
1970 (ca.) 12
Edward Marlo Mock Placement gag for magicians
Fall-Spring 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 504
Double Backer Card Gag No. 488, apparently showing double backer by dealing turnover bottom deals from deck with bottom cards reversed
1972 136
Jimmy Grippo Double Lift Teaser saliva
1973 160
Frank Garcia Double Lift Feint apparent switch
1973 161
Karl Fulves Reverse Strippers openly using stripper deck in off-beat way to fool magicians
1973 72
Edward Marlo "For Faro Shuffler Only" deck is separated in reds and blacks, a faro is shuffled, colors still separated
1973 23
Edward Marlo For Magicians Only overhand control to throw off those looking for jogs
1974 32
Edward Marlo Simulated Master Move two methods
1974 137
Gustave Southall Pseudo Strippers simulating a stripper deck with Zarrow shuffle
1975 30
Harry Lorayne The Ultra Move and the Fast Pass
1975 19
Francis Carlyle One Hand Pass Locator glimpsing bottom card, for magicians
1975 81
Roger Smith The Short Card Faro Force peek force in IF condition, faking IF control
1975 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 156
Roger Smith Some Ultimate Pass Ideas pseudo pass for magicians, duplicate
Inspired by 1977 5
Martin A. Nash Slippery Strippers pseudo Stripper Deck demo with normal cards
1979 401
Martin A. Nash Faro Flam apparently IF Control is used
1979 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 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
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 6
Steve Beam A Hairy Situation shaving deck gag
1980 19
Steve Beam Finger Exercise pun about jogs
1980 19
Steve Beam Relief! fanning powder the deck in the middle of the trick, gag
1980 19
Kevin Justice Two Cuts Better Than One? pun with slip cut
1980 20
Steve Beam Visual Magic running cut pun
1980 20
Steve Beam Keep It Down! pun, rising card
1980 20
Steve Beam Who's The Dummy? gag using Tally-Ho cards
1980 20
Herb Zarrow Faro Throw-Off locator card changes into selection, faro is apparently used as part of method
1982 201
Stephen Tucker Letraset magician's gag, prediction faking to write with a nail writer
Jan. 1983
Spell-Binder (Vol. 2 No. 21)
401
Stephen Tucker Drop-Out devano rising card gag, card attached to thread
Also published here Feb. 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 140
Edward Marlo Gag Packet Transformation Aces to Kings, sucker flushtration count gag
1986 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 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 306
Edward Marlo Magician's Transposition using pip-cover displays, for magicians
1988 105
Edward Marlo Sucker Throw Change pseudo duplicate, right hand empty afterwards
1988 355
Karl Fulves, Don Stewart on Splitting and Fusion for magicians, dated to 1950s
1989 33
Rafael Benatar El Mago Discreto routine with several techniques which eliminate each other
1989 83
Steve Pressley, Steve Hook, Steve Beam High Rise static electricity, cards stick on finger, also as a gag
1990 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 159
Michael Close First Application of MC Spread Double Lift, as fake side steal to impress magicians
Variations 1991 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 21
Bob King Ultra Mental Gag fair force, using Ultra Mental handling with normal deck
1992 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 17
Justin Higham Bluff Erdnase Change for magicians
Related to Apr. 1992
Tech-Notes (Issue 2)
19
Justin Higham Fake Jog Shuffle for magicians, jog squared up, Mahatma Control
Related to Apr. 1992
Tech-Notes (Issue 2)
19
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 15
Eddie Fechter Faro Pairs magician's gag, Faro with alternate pairs
1993 71
Eddie Fechter The Three Devils joke with cards
Also published here 1993 124
Sid Fleischman A Magic Club Roast card finding routine with gags for magicians, sleights listed on post-it
1993 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 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 76
Tony Corinda Beyond the 13 Steps: A Masterpiece of Mentalism spectators divine cards in shuffled deck, April's fool gag, cockroach deck switch
Apr. 1995
Vibrations (Vol. 17 No. 10)
1
Justin Hanes Strip Tease apparently stripper deck is used
Winter 1996 36
Karl Fulves Fail Safe card case with "Ultra Mental Deck" sticker
1996 24
Dominique Duvivier Setting a Trap sandwich routine, sucker effect for magicians
1996 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 14
Roger Klause Second Teaser depth illusion / Vernon-Houdini ambitious phase teaser for magicians
1997 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 149
R. Paul Wilson Incomplete Inslow pseudo Incomplete Faro Control, actually a riffle force
1997 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 39
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 49
Ellis Stanyon Pass to Deceive a Conjurer No. 20, fake pass demonstration
Variations 1999 234
Karl Fulves Supplementary Note fake pass demonstration
Inspired by 1999 235
David Malek Magicians Monte with sucker moves, two phases
2001 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 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 46
Bob Ostin The 'Helical' Card Trick gag description of impossible effect
Related to 2005 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 80
Bob Ostin Well Done! gag to use for kid magician, well done written on card
2005 137
Arthur Trace Who You Fooling? (Gag for magicians) A top change is apparently executed, but card is shown not to have switched
2006 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 95
Bruce Cervon Faro Fooler from NDO to NDO with two faros, double index cards
2007 32
Tyler Wilson Ah, Very Near Sloth Control gag method to get control of a card after an incomplete faro control
2008 18
Benjamin Earl Cloak & Dagger Top Tip... getting from Si Stebbins into Mnemonica, joke
Jan. 2009
Gambit (Issue 1)
21
Justin Higham Gambler's Cop Applications combined with Illogical Dribble Force
Related to 2009 29
Eddie Fechter The Three Devils joke with cards
Also published here 2012 185
Chris Mayhew Trinado gag flourish cut
2013 37
Kevin Ho The Box Prediction barcode gag
2014 14
Kevin Ho Not Even Close Kolossal Killer spoof
2014 22
Kevin Ho The Professor's Revenge
Inspired by 2014 29
Joseph Barry A Ruse for Magicians... "the false, real shuffle ruse"
Also published here 2014 6
Daniel Madison FSWE Shift Method to fake an SWE Shift
2014 37
Steve Mayhew Sloppy Seconds vanish of a card during humorous second deal routine
2014 163
Harapan Ong Have a Break, Have a Kit Kat kit kat bar appears from deck of cards
2018 190
Scott Robinson Count On Me destroying a card while doing a trick for another magician
2018 46
Tom Gagnon Bluff Tilt pseudo tilt ambitious card phase
2019 157
Steve Forte Holding Out Ace cutting fails, then Aces shown to be palmed
2020 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
Howard Hamburg The Heavy Deck extra card secretly added to the deck and the removed as skill demonstration
Sep. 2023
Genii (Vol. 86 No. 9)
64
Howard Hamburg Un-Faro-able gaffed card added to borrowed deck that jams in faro shuffles
Sep. 2023
Genii (Vol. 86 No. 9)
65
Tony Giorgio The Tony Giorgio Mercury Fold card folded in borrowed deck as gag
Sep. 2023
Genii (Vol. 86 No. 9)
65
Scott Baird Anti-Triumph cards do not right themselves, they might in optional second phase, gag
Nov. 2023
The Hermit (Vol. 2 No. 11)
1076