RICOCHET!

The Ultimate Reset

R. Paul Wilson
SCANNED AND PREPARED FOR CIGAM FTP
BY RAVINI and TARQUO THE GREAT

Written by R. Paul Wilson

Illustrations by Tony Dunn
Edited by John Lovick and Tim Trono
Cover Design by Tim Trono and Adam Stye
Layout by Adam Stye

Benchmark Magic

R. PaulWilsons Ricochet!
The Ultimate Reset
Congratulations on purchasing this product. In your hands you hold a remarkably
powerful effect that I have used to confound lay audiences in my professional
work.
You will find two methods here. One uses an ordinary pocket-handkerchief as an
impromptu platform, which also acts as cover for the secret "move" (don't worry,
it's nothing you can't already do). The second method uses no cover (if desired)
and is highly visual thanks to the Asher Twist. It is more difficult than the first
method, but is by no means impossible to learn. Lee Asher's "twist" is actually a
simple move that requires just a little practice to perfect. Due to the angular
nature of this method, I designed the handling with the handkerchief. This
addition of the handkerchief covers all possible problems and adds a little theater
to the effect.
"Ricochet" is based on Paul Harris' "Reset" (a variation ofBro.John Hamman's
"Underground Transposition" and Phil Goldsteins "Counter Revolution"). The
ending was inspired by Ryan Swigert's superb "Kickback", an underground effect
that has been making the rounds for the last few years. "Kickback" will be
marketed soon and, if you enjoy nailing your audiences with "Ricochet", you'll
definitely want to get them again with "Kickback".
You will find four gimmicked cards accompanying this booklet. These will be
four court cards each with spot cards on their opposite sides. Each card will have
the same suit on both sides. These cards have been specially manufactured for
"Ricochet" and cannot be obtained from a standard pack of double-facers. Future
runs of this trick will contain different values. If you perform this half as much as
I do, you'll understand the need for additional sets!

Ricochet One
Requirements
Four double-facers as described above (supplied) and an ordinary pack of playing
cards will be needed. These double-facers have been made by The U.S. Playing
Card Company and match their card designs. Any opaque pocket-handkerchief
will also be required.
Set-Up
For this description we will assume the double-faced cards are aces and kings.
Remove the four normal aces from the deck and place them face up on top of the
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face down deck. Turn the deck face up and remove the four normal kings,
placing them on the face of the deck. Re-distribute the kings in the deck so they
are about ten cards apart. Now insert the double-facers, aces uppermost into the
face up deck, each one going near the kings. You must ensure that the kings and
aces do not go too close to the reversed normal aces at the back of the face up
deck. This means that, when you spread through and remove the aces and kings,
there will be no danger of spreading too far and exposing the reversed aces. Place
the deck in the box so it will be face up when removed for the effect.
Method
We will assume you are at a table. Remove the deck and the handkerchief from
your pocket and have two spectators each hold two corners of the handkerchief
between them, forming an impromptu platform. Have it held so it is comfortable
for you to reach under the handkerchief with both hands. Remove the deck, face
up, from the box and place the box in your pocket. Run through the pack and
outjog the kings and aces. Square up the deck and strip these outjogged cards
out, holding them face up in the right hand. Now place the deck face up to your
left. In doing so, the deck should be under the leftmost edge of the handkerchief.
It is clearly nowhere near where the effect will occur but is concealed from view
by the handkerchief.
Separate the kings and aces, holding the kings in one hand and the aces in the
other hand. Ask someone which he or she prefers - kings or aces. No matter
what they answer, the same thing will happen - the kings will go face down on
the center of the handkerchief and the aces will remain in your hands. Simply
say either, "The kings? Okay, let's place them here." or, "The aces9 Okay, then we II put
the kings over here." To place the kings down, flip them face down onto the aces
and count them off, one at a time, to show four face down cards. Place this
packet of kings, squared, onto the center of the outstretched handkerchief.
You will now cause the kings to transpose, one at a time, with the aces. Spread
the ace packet to show four aces and, keeping them spread, place them under the
handkerchief with both hands. As soon as
they are out of sight, raise the right hand,
taking the upper three cards, and tap the
fabric slightly with the cards. As this happens
the remaining card in the left hand is turned
over (see FIG. 1) and added back to the
spread before the hands re-emerge from under
the handkerchief - one of the aces has
changed to a king. Transfer the king to the top
Figure 1
of the packet.
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Figure 2

Repeat this procedure three times to change all

the aces to kings. Now place the kings in the left .
hand, low in the hand, near the fingertips (see I
FIG. 2). The right hand now reaches toward the
packet on the handkerchief as you say, "If these are
the Kings, then these must be the..." Allow the
spectators to complete the sentence. As you turn |
over the packet and spread the four kings, the
cards in the left hand are flipped over easily,
thanks to their low position in the hand, the
packet ending in dealing position. Also, the right
arm crosses slightly in front of the left hand as this
secret flipping action is being done thus shading
the procedure.

As soon as the kings are seen they will look back to the left hand - too late! The
aces are now back where they began. Spread these and count them to show all
four aces. This always elicits a strong reaction.
Do not be afraid of this moment. If you allow them
to complete the sentence "If these are the kings these
must be.. ."just as you turn the kings over with the
right hand - no attention whatsoever will be on the
left hand. There is no need to hide the hand as the
right hand turns those cards over. It is more
important not to move the left hand at all, other than to
allow the cards at fingertips to flip over into dealers grip.
Thanks to the built-in misdirection, there is no need
for undue haste either - keep your actions smooth
and unhurried. The left hand action happens as the
right hand's cards come into view. The right hand
then deals the cards onto the handkerchief or table
before returning to the left hand and spreading. As
they react to this, you can easily perform the clean
up, if desired.

Figure 3

If you decide to clean up, you will simply reach down with the left hand, which is
holding the aces, under the handkerchief and pick up the deck. To do this the
left hand will revolve palm down onto the deck (see FIG. 3), pick it up and
revolve palm up as it returns. Once the hand emerges from under the
handkerchief you have effectively switched out the gimmicked cards for the real
aces which are now visible face up on the top of the face down deck. The top
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four face-up aces are taken in the right hand and added to the kings on the
handkerchief. Everything may now be examined!

Ricochet Two
The set up is exactly the same as "Ricochet One". The handkerchief is optional.
If you choose not to use the handkerchief, simply place the cards on the table or
on top of a glass. Personally I like (and highly recommend) the handkerchief a
lot, so I use it with both handlings.
Perform the effect as already described, until you are ready to start the
transposition. Instead of carrying the cards under the handkerchief you may
stand back and hold the cards in left-hand dealing grip.
You will now perform the Asher Twist (described later in this booklet). After
each twist, a card will have transformed. Carry the newly changed card to the
top of the packet and repeat this three additional times. Those familiar with Lee
Asher's original routine can perform the first phase exactly as described with
these cards. The idea of using double-facers for this effect was my own and led,
ultimately, to "Ricochet".
Complete the effect as described.
Even if you do not use the handkerchief, use the clean up described for "Ricochet
One". Even without the handkerchief for cover, the clean up flies by even the
most astute audiences without question.

Alternate Pocket Clean Up

If you perform this walk-around, have the real aces in your pocket, outside the
box, faces towards your body. Remove the box, take out the cards and replace the
box in your pocket, between you and the aces. Once you have the cards for the
effect, hand the rest of the deck to someone to hold.
Once the effect is complete, the left hand goes to the pocket, ditches the four
double-facers and returns holding the box and four real aces. Take back the deck
and hand the aces out as you replace the cards in their box.
Readers should note that, after thousands of performances in front of lay
audiences, I have found the clean up to be unnecessary. Ninety-nine percent of
the time, after the switch has been executed, no one wants to to examine the
cards at all. The clean-up should still be practiced, however, in case you find
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yourself working for the type of

audience who would insist on
examining anything (you can usually
tell before you perform a single effect)
or for your fellow magicians. When
working walk-around or table-hopping
I simply place the required cards on the
face of the deck rather than waste time
distributing them only to remove them
again later. So far, this has gone
without question. If you're not using
figure 4
the effect repeatedly in such a setting, distributing the
cards before performance
is still recommended.
The Asher Twist (as described by Lee Asher)

Figure 5

Hold the cards in dealing grip and get a

break above the bottom card with your left
pinkie finger by pulling the bottom card
down with your left pinkie and maintaining
the break. Don't use a buckle to get a break
because it flashes from the spectator's view.
Stick your right first and middle fingers,
palm up, into the break on the lower inner
right corner of the packet. Place your right
thumb on top of the cards above the break at
the exact spot above the first and middle
finger (see FIG. 4).

You are now going to reverse spread the three card

packet by pushing them, from above, to the left with
your thumb and pulling them, from below, to the
right with your first and middle fingers (see FIG. 5).
As you are spreading, continue to pull down on the
bottom card with your left pinkie so the card turns on
its long right side (see FIG. 6). If you turn your left
wrist toward the floor while pulling, it aids in getting
the bottom card into position. Don't use your thumb
or first finger to help flip the card over, just your
pinkie linger. By the time the packet is completely
spread, the card is flipped into position. You must
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Figure 6

execute both actions in one smooth motion. If you push down on the bottom
card with the three-card spread, it will finish flipping over with ease without you
having to do much work. This next part is very important! You must separate the
top and bottom cards from the two middle ones. The top and bottom cards are
pulled into the left hand and the two middle ones in the right hand (see FIG. 7).
Now place the cards in the left hand on top of the cards in the right hand.
Square the packet and get a break above the bottom card with your left pinkie
finger and repeat the whole action as described above. Do this until all of your
cards have flipped over.
Note: Reverse count the two cards in the
left hand onto those in the right for the
first transformation only. After that, simply
place the two cards in the left hand on top
of those in the right. This will make the
rest of the effect automatic if you follow
Lee's guidelines.
Figure 7
That is how Lee Asher executes his "Twisting the Aces". Here are some tips that
Lee insists you try. Practice in front of a mirror and every time you flip a card,
bend your wrists forward. By the fourth card, you should find exactly how far
you have to tilt your wrists in order not to flash from the front. Practice with
your wrist bent in that position and when you go to perform it for a live person,
you will automatically bend into that position. Remember that your best angle is
right underneath the person so they have to look down upon the cards. If you
make noise while flipping the card, try lifting the three cards up in your right
hand grip away from the bottom card and against the base of your left thumb.
Now the bottom card cannot scrape against the cards above.

Further Ideas
These double-facers may be used in many effects. Since having them made, I
have worked out super-clean methods for Roy Walton's "The Collectors" and
Jerry Sadowitz's "The More Things Change" (often called, erroneously, "Pocket
Interchange") amongst others. Methods for these effects, and others, will be
released in the coming months.

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