Pseudo Cheating Demos and Effects by Justin Higham

Discover over 20 innovative pseudo cheating effects across 7 chapters, complete with insightful notes on related techniques, concepts, and historical context.

Contents include:

• The 15-Card Poker Climax – A thrilling conclusion to the classic 10-Card Poker Deal, where the performer reveals a royal flush alongside a prediction of the spectator’s dealt hands, despite their own shuffling. Contributions from Will Houstoun and Dean Bodenham enhance this effect. (Sleights: basic overhand shuffle and a false cut.)

• Spread-Count Poker 1 & 2 – A sleight-free method to stack the Aces, typically achieved through the Bottom-Deal Count. (Sleights: optional palm replacement at the beginning.)

• Freedom Stacking (Joseph Barry) – Four Aces are drawn from a borrowed, shuffled deck, presenting a classic pick-up method in a fresh format. (Sleights: full-deck false shuffle.)

• Bottom-Deal Count Substitute – The spectator cuts the deck, and the performer counts off 25 cards. These are dealt into poker hands, ensuring the spectator receives the four Aces, offering an alternative to the Bottom-Deal Count. (Sleights: overhand shuffle work; includes one bottom deal if revealing a royal flush.)

• Mini Faro, Named Centres – Four Kings and four Aces are openly alternated and placed in the deck’s center. The spectator names one set, and the performer ‘centre deals’ the selected cards while revealing the other four of a kind still in the middle. (Sleights: dribble pass, turnover pass.) Additional concepts include ‘Mini Faro, Two/Three Players’ and ‘Mini Faro Hold ’em.’

• The Compensation Deal – An unconventional yet effective solution to the classic Vernon/Fulves poker dilemma: the Aces are openly stacked for four players, and even with a freely chosen number of participants, the performer still deals the Aces. (Sleights: double-card handling, bottom deals.)

• Pseudo 10-Hand Poker Stack – The Aces are placed on the deck, followed by a selected number of riffle shuffles. The performer deals 10 poker hands, ensuring they receive the Aces. (Sleights: adding cards to a top stock during a riffle shuffle, tabling a double, double push-off/deal.)

• Face-Up Deals – From a borrowed, shuffled deck, the performer wins multiple blackjack hands and deals a full house. (Sleights: multiple second deals.)

• GM Poker – A solution to performing the classic ‘Gardner–Marlo Poker Routine’ with only one four of a kind dealt throughout. (Sleights: turnover pass.) Includes related material.

• Two Shufflers – The performer and spectator each shuffle half the deck to showcase their skills. The performer deals their half first, revealing nothing, while the spectator’s half reveals four Sevens. The two halves are then shuffled together, leading to a royal flush dealt by the spectator. (Sleights: jog shuffle, milk-build shuffle, faro shuffle, and an easy switch explained in the text.)

• Stand-Up Poker Deal (Sav) – From a borrowed, shuffled deck, the performer deals a full house. (Sleights: culling, faro shuffle.)

• 75% Poker Deal – The performer successfully deals three of a kind from a borrowed, shuffled deck. (Sleights: classic pass.)

• Faro Flush Presentation – A modern take on Fr. Cyprian’s renowned effect, featuring a pseudo-memory presentation and options for draw poker or hold ’em. (Sleights: faro shuffle, double undercut.)

• Pseudo-Memory Deal (Benjamin Earl) – After the spectator shuffles the deck, the performer deals the Aces in a four-handed game. (Sleights: faro shuffle.)

• Pseudo-Memory Deal/Location – A technique for dealing or cutting to the Aces in a spectator-shuffled deck. (Sleights: faro shuffle (optional), basic cut and shuffle work.)

• First Flush – A royal flush is cut into the deck’s center. Two hands are dealt, and one is ‘switched’ for the royal flush. (Sleights: simple false cut.)

• Poker Charade – A royal flush is dealt from a deck shuffled multiple times by spectators, based on the classic cheating concept known as the count-down. (Sleights: palm replacement and general card handling.)

• What Goes Around, Comes Around – Three hands are dealt from a spectator-shuffled deck, with the performer ending up with a full house. (Sleights: none / general card handling.)

• The ‘Appearing’ Poker Hand (Ben Earl) – The performer ‘deals’ a royal flush without any false shuffles, stacks, deals, or switches. (Sleights: general card handling.)

• Jungian Poker (Modified) – The performer identifies a thought-of card along with its corresponding straight-flush cards. (Sleights: top stock shuffle, false cut, spread cull, overhand shuffle work.) Additional concepts include ‘Jungian Location’ and ‘Jungian Instinct,’ where the spectator lifts a packet, peeks at the bottom card, replaces it, and shuffles the deck. The performer then locates the card and its matching straight-flush cards. (Sleights: spread cull and optional sleights.)