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SECTION TWO

CARD SLEIGHTS AND MOVES

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

VERNON ON THE PASS

Perhaps more has been written on the standard Pass than any other sleight

in card magic yet very few magicians can perform it without telegraphing

that something is happening. Some performers seem oblivious that a tell-

tale movement as the packets transpose will make it obvious that some form

of trickery is being executed, whilst others avoid the Pass entirely and em-

ploy a substitute manoeuvre to bring about the desired result. Nevertheless

the Pass can be one of the most useful of all methods of controlling a card or

cards, and the following observations by Dai Vernon will help the reader to

master the handling and avoid the pitfalls which deter so many.

In correspondence and on tape recordings Dai Vernon has sent us de-

tailed descriptions of his method of making the Pass; in addition Steve Young

has taken three photographs to show the exact movements of the hands and

cards. By following the text and studying the photographs the mechanics

will be easily understood, but only practice will give that smoothness of

execution and understanding of timing which will eliminate all cause for

suspicion.

To clarify the description we will assume that we are to bring a selected

card to the top of the pack. The pack is held in the left hand for the right

hand to cut off the top half of the pack, so that the selected card can be

replaced on top of the left hand portion. The bare essentials are that the

pack is then reassembled and the packets transposed, so that the bottom

portion is brought to the top. It is the transposition of the two packets of

cards which causes difficulty in eliminating visual movement.

Dr. Daley used to say, "You have to pay a price for anything in magic and

if you remove a slight defect it will crop up in some other way." How true

this is will be proved when trying to improve the Pass, for when one fault is

rectified another developes, yet by being aware of Dr. Daley's warning one

knows the danger and can take precautions.

Angles of vision are the main difficulties we encounter. Anyone can soon

perform the Pass so that it cannot be detected from one angle only - e.g.

from directly in front, or it can be helped by lifting the hands up or down

according to the direction of view and elevation of the spectators. It can be

done almost in slow motion without being seen, but to be really effective it

must look well from the left, the right and in front. Usually, any person

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observing the hands from the right will see the packet go down, and the

only way this can be covered is by the actions pictured in the photographs

and which we will describe later.

First let us quote Dai Vernon's own words on the timing. He writes, "Of

utmost importance in performing any 'steal', 'pass' or such move is how

you 'go into it.' The pass should be executed the very instant the upper

hand touches the pack. There should be absolutely no 'getting set/ The

little finger must be in position between the packets and the pack in the

exact position for instantaneous operation the second the hand grasps the

pack. The identical basic principle applies equally for the 'side steal', 'top

and bottom palm', 'changes' and so forth."

Now let us study the handling from here on - from the point where the

selected card has been returned to the top of the left hand portion.

As the right hand, holding its packet from above, comes over the left

hand packet, the left little finger is inserted between the packets.

Photograph A.

This shows the start of the transposition and from the photograph we

can visualize why the pass is often detected. The right side of the upper

pack is gripped between the left little finger below, and the third finger above.

If the transposition is made in the usual way the little finger causes 'space'

between the packets, and additionally the upper packet travels in quite a

wide arc on its downward passage. Usually the packet goes out and right

down before coming under the other packet, and this permits it to be seen

by spectators on the right, as well as causing a jumping movement of the

hands.

Now let us study Dai Vernon's method.

Photograph B.

When the top packet is gripped by the left little and third fingers the

lower packet is immediately shifted forward by pushing with the right

thumbtip, until the little finger is at the inner end of the lower packet. This

permits the face of the top packet to come flat against the top card of the

lower packet, and so eliminates the telltale triangle where the little finger

would usually be, in other words there is no wasted space.

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Should the top packet be brought straight down, or in an arc, it will still

be visible from the right, but Dai Vernon makes it hug the right side of the

lower packet.

Photograph C.

With the packets 'kissing', he eliminates both a large arc and an exces-

sive downward path by revolving the mov-

ing packet under the other, as if to bring

the packets face to face. This can be seen

in the photograph - if the packet was re-

leased at this point and the pack squared,

one half would be face down and the other

face up. However, as soon as the right side

of the moving packet clears the right side

of the now upper packet, the left fingers

curl inwards and the packet revolves in the

opposite direction, the side wiping across

the face of upper packet, until it is suffi-

ciently turned to be brought up against the

underside of the other packet. A downward pressure with the right hand

prevents a jumping movement as the packets transpose.

The reader is urged to study the photographs carefully as Steve Young

cleverly captured the important features whilst Dai Vernon's hands made

the moves.

The thought behind this method of making the pass is an excellent ex-

ample of how Dai Vernon analyses each move to attain near perfection - this

is the "Vernon Touch."

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When Dai Vernon was in England we sat with him while he demon-

strated several methods of making the Pass. After taking notes of little-

known versions we photographed his hands making the moves.

THE BLACK PASS.

This is so named by Dai Vernon because he based it on a method devised

by Fred Black, a cattle rancher from Thedford, Nebraska. Incidentally, Fred

Black was given world prominence by Ripley in his "Believe It or Not" news-

paper feature as, "the only man who could take a shuffled pack of cards,

deal out four Bridge hands, then gather the cards together, riffle shuffle,

have the cards cut, shift the cut and deal out the identical hands to the same

players in less than a minute!" Fred Black also supplied the Faro Tables to T.

Nelson Downs which appeared in ''Expert Card Technique."

We have seen that with the standard Pass there is usually a wide move-

ment as the two halves of the pack are transposed, and have learnt how to

eliminate this. When Dai Vernon learnt the Black Pass he found that Black

had also fallen into a trap - that of positioning one half of the pack at an

unnatural angle in the hand.

Here is how Dai Vernon adapted the Black Pass for his own use:

Hold the pack from underneath at the tips of the left fingers and thumb.

Cut off the top half with the right hand to have a selected card replaced in

the centre. In returning the top half it is stepped at about one inch to the

right as in Figure 1.

Let both halves settle in the left hand, which has the palm flat, fingers

extended and thumb wide as in Figure 2. Close the left thumb and fingers to

square the pack, when a flesh break is automatically held at the base of the

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