Hold the card at the outer index corner by a slight contraction of the top joint of the little finger. Hold the upper index corner in the fold of flesh which is formed when the thumb is moved backward and pressed tightly against the side of the palm, in this action taking with it the corner of the card and thus forcing it to buckle outwards slightly from the palm, Fig. 1. It is the thumb action which buckles the card, not that of the little finger, although the latter aids to some small extent at its corner.
It will be found that the grip on the corners holds the card with perfect security and it can be transferred from the orthodox palm to the flat palm, and vice versa, with ease.
This special palm will also be found very useful in many forms of the color change.
b. Another extremely useful, and for some purposes a better, palm is to transfer the packet of cards to the flat palm by catching its right inner corner in a fold of flesh near the crotch of the thumb, Fig. 1. The corner does not actually press into the crotch of the thumb, but is caught in a fold of flesh by moving the thumb outwards, as though to touch the tip of the second finger, and then moving it up against the hand. This action folds a crease of flesh over the corner of the packet sufficient to hold it in position when the hand is placed flat on the table with all the fingers straightened out, and to bring it back to the regular palm when the hand is drawn along the table towards the body in removing it.
This grip will not support the cards if the hand is lifted straight up from the table since they are held by one corner only. There is, however, a sufficient grip for the purpose desired, that is to say, to place the hand flat on the table, to slide it off the table and to bring with it the concealed cards and take them again into the regular palm.
This is another of the stratagems which have been transferred from the armory of the gambler to that of the conjurer.
THE HUGARD TOP PALM
This method of palming the top card can be executed with either hand and is ideal for use in such tricks as the Card in the Wallet in which the left hand is thrust into the inside coat pocket immediately after the card has been palmed. We will describe the action for palming the top card with the left hand:
1. Hold the pack face downwards by its inner end in fork of the left thumb, the thumb lying across the end and its tip touching the tips of the first and second fingers which press against the side of the pack just above the inner end. The tips of these two fingers must be held flush with the top of the deck so that one card only can be pushed off without spreading any of the other cards.
2. Raise the thumb, press it against the middle of the top card and move it to the right and downwards in an arc, carrying the top card with it and making this card revolve on its inner left corner which remains firmly pressed into the crotch of the thumb.
3. Straighten the left fingers momentarily to receive the card, Fig. 1, then bend them and grip the card.
4. Remove the pack with the right hand, taking it by the sides between the thumb and fingers.
The action takes place in bringing the left hand across the body to place the pack in the right hand and is completely covered by the turning of the left hand which brings its back towards the spectators.
THE FLIP-OVER PALM
At first sight this method may seem to be too audacious to be successful, but in its very boldness lies its safety. Its execution adds a little extra to that inward glow so dear to the heart of the wizard when he succeeds in barefacedly deceiving his victims.
We will suppose that in the course of a trick you have had occasion to turn the top card face upwards several times. You have done this by pushing the card off the pack a little with the left thumb and then striking it with the side of the right forefinger as the right hand is brought upwards in a vertical position, the fingers and thumb pointing straight to the front, Fig. 1.
When you wish to palm the card:
1. Turn it face upwards on the pack in the manner just described and bring the right hand over the pack, close the fingers and thumb on the ends and draw the hand back to the right in the action of squaring the cards.
2. Turn the card face downwards in the same way but, this time, bend the first joint of the right forefinger on the outer corner of the card as it turns over, pressing the inner corner of the same side of the card against the root of the thumb. Turn the right hand completely over the pack as before and draw the fingers and thumb back along the ends, squaring the cards.
The bending of the fingers will place the card against the inside of the right hand in the regular palming position. After pushing the card over the right side of the pack, the left thumb must move to the left side, Fig. 2.
In the action the right side of the body must be to the front so that the back of the right hand is towards the spectators.
THE HOFZINSER BOTTOM PALM
This bottom palm was a favorite of that storied master card manipulator of the last century, Johann Nepomuk Hofzinser. It is practically unknown in this country.
1. Hold the pack in the left hand as for dealing, but rather more into the crotch of the thumb and with the left forefinger even with the outer end of the deck, Fig. 1. Form a break with the tip of the left little finger above the cards to be palmed.
2. Place the right hand over the pack, press the first finger against the left side just below the outer corner, and rest the other fingers against the outer end.
3. Move the pack to the right with the right hand; the cards to be palmed pivot between the left little finger at the inner right corner and the right forefinger at the outer left corner, moving into position for palming, Fig. 2. In the illustration the right packet has been lifted to show the action.
4. Take the pack with the left fingers.
THE BRAUE BOTTOM PALM
Up to the present time there have been only three methods of palming the bottom card of any value to card manipulators, the Erdnase, Hofzinser and Hugard methods. That to be described here for the first time is new in conception and entirely practical, and, for some purposes, particularly those of the poker genre, is of greater utility than those just mentioned. It is very fast, easy and deceptive, and it can be made with one or a score of cards; it can be used for legitimate palming purposes or as a color change. The method follows the explanation hereunder:
1. Hold the pack in the left hand, the first finger curled at the face, the other fingers at the right side and the thumb extended flat against the left side of the pack. Insert the left little finger above the cards to be palmed from the bottom by the right hand.
2. Place the right second, third and fourth fingers at the outer end, the thumb at the inner end, the first finger being curled at the top of the pack exposing as much of its surface as possible. Rest the left little finger tip at the bottom of the pack at the end, on the curved outer right corner, and press the tip of the right thumb into the break at the inner end, retaining it.
3. Move the left little finger, pressing its side against the edge of the packet to be palmed