Description

“I LOVE the plot, Michał! A truly intriguing proposition, where the performer engages in a progressive game of “one-upmanship” that’s easy for any audience to grasp; leaving no doubt as to the performer’s consummate skill with a pack of playing cards.” – Jack Carpenter

“Michał Kociołek’s ‘Double Duke’ is a terrific addition to your repertoire. Great thinking and a demonstration of inexplicable skill that will impress any audience.” – Andrew Wimhurst

“Michał’s thinking and construction is top notch and sophisticated. It’s the kind of card magic I love.” – David Malek

Michał has spent several years mastering different cheating techniques, but he has also worked on how to fake several of them, often creating an illusion of a greater skill than he actually has. Double Duke is just that – an illusion of incredible skill, which will surely make an impact on your audience and make them believe that they are in the company of a card expert.

This is now his favorite opener. Why? It involves four spectators, quickly showcases an amazing skill of controlling not four, but ten cards, and clearly establishes you as an expert card cheat. It’s a perfect gambling routine for people who don’t play cards and therefore may not know the rank of hands – a prerequisite for almost every other poker deal routine. And it’s pretty easy, too!

Effect:

Four people select, and return, cards from a shuffled deck. The card cheat then gives the deck a few more shuffles and cuts. He then explains the concept of a “double duke”: cheating at cards by dealing a player a good hand in hopes that he bets high, while at the same time dealing yourself a better hand so that you always win.

Instead of confusing matters by dealing actual hands, the card cheat promises to stack the four previously selected cards in one player’s hand and each time to give his own hand a card one higher. In the first round, the spectator gets her selected card (i.e. a Four) dealt to her hand, and the card cheat deals himself a Five. This is repeated for the three other selections. And, for the fifth card, a King is dealt down, and finally topped by an Ace!

1st edition 2018, 30 pages.
word count: 4652 which is equivalent to 18 standard pages of text