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The Danish Force
This surprising effect is a good
beginning to the Ambitious Card
routine (kid's love it too).
This is a comedy force originated by
Clement de Lion. The idea is to have
a card push itself forward
spontaneously just as the spectator
is about to take a card. De Lion
used the old fake, two cards with a
piece of elastic between them. The
card to be forced was pushed into
the fake and so held. The pressure
being relaxed as the spectator
reached out, the card would glide
into his hand.
It is, however, a difficult matter
to insert the fake in the pack and
prevent the card making premature
appearance. A simpler plan is to use
the even older principle of the
rising card. Take a length of fine
black silk, about eighteen inches,
tie a knot at one end and insert it
in a minute slit in the end of the
card to be used. Draw the thread
over the back
of this card, place a
second card on it and bring the
thread back over it. To the other
end of the thread tie a small black
safety pin, fastening it under the
vest. (Blifaloo notes: you can find
gimmicks like "The Raven" or
retractable invisible thread
contraptions from most online magic
supply shops for relatively cheap
that will simplify this effect's
prep work).
If these two cards are placed in the
pack, when it is thrust outwards,
the card will glide out to meet the
spectator's hand. As he takes it,
the withdrawal of the pack will free
the thread. The two cards thus
prepared can he carried quite safely
in the lower vest pocket. To add
them to the deck is an easy matter
and a simple cut will bring them to
the middle.
This amusing feat makes a very good
opening for the Ambitious Card
trick. Say you use the Jack of
Diamonds. After the comedy force
inquire what the card is. "The Jack
of Diamonds," you say. "That's the
most troublesome card in the deck.
Always pushing himself forward. Put
him on the top out of the way and
take another." You pass the card to
the middle and again force it by the
classical method. Then continue with
your own favorite version of the
Ambitious Card, that always returns
to the top of the pack.
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