gifted decks
If you’re like me and have accumulated a graveyard of poop decks, then this is a way to put those to use. You don’t need a ton (complete or incomplete), but having a decent collection is nice.
It’s an extension of the Gemini Twins card trick by Karl Fulves, which is based off Twin Souls by Al Baker. The original trick is everywhere on the internet and in public domain publications. You can learn Gemini Twins from Doug Conn here. Alex Pandrea also does a version here. It’s a great impromptu card trick.
My version is based off Lennart Green’s Stolen Cards. If you just watch the performance, you’ll probably know exactly what’s going on. His version is like 50 bucks, but I think that’s mostly for the fancy case and custom printed cards. You don’t really need either one of those. If you’ve been into card tricks for a year or two, you’re gonna own an unnecessary amount of cards to assemble this trick with.
Here’s my take. When your friends come over to hangout, they notice a basket filled with decks of playing cards near the door. Ideally, they’re like “what’s going on with this?” And you go “oh, I have way too many cards. Those are old, so gonna recycle them or something.” And they go “oh, can I have one?” And you go “yah, remember to take a few on your way out.”
Later on, you remind them to take a deck with them and go “oh, let me show you what I’ve been doing actually…” and instruct them to pick out a few decks from the basket. You go over to your shelf and remove a deck of cards on display. “Collecting entire decks was taking up too much space, so I decided to just keep one card from each deck. Here it is…” You take out the cards and show all the different backs. Then you instruct them to choose one from the few they picked out through a process of elimination (equivoque), then to remove the cards and cut to a random spot in the middle (criss cross force) and remove two cards from where they cut.
Now you do Gemini Twins and have their cut-to cards from their chosen deck find the two cards with matching back designs from your collection deck. You then reveal that they’re also the mates of the cards they cut to. And hit them with a double reveal to show that all the other cards from your collections are the Ace of Spades.
Caveat: so they would’ve already seen the back design of the deck they chose. But I think that’s fine. Just have them deal without looking down, and place the two selections where they are easily retrievable- like their pockets. You’ll just have to remember the orientation to tell them which one to take out and when.
When they leave, remove the Ace of Spades from your collection and give it to them so they have a complete deck of cards. Set up the next deck by removing the Ace and putting it in the collection. Then take any two cards and place one on top and the other on the bottom of your collection deck. Then the mates of those two cards placed on top of the force deck. Place this “new” deck in the basket on top and a little off center so they’ll pick it and a few others when time comes.
One additional thought- I wouldn’t ask them to pick their favorites or ones they like. Just tell them to grab a few off the top.
I think this is a fun one. Still pretty much self working, kinda has a little more to it.