Quick Change Queens 👑

This version of Dr. Daley’s Last Trick differs from the original because it uses two red and two blue-backed cards. I’ve been working on the first phase of this trick for a while, but I only found a good use for it once Phil Pearce—a fellow amateur magician from Dallas, Texas—shared his version with me. He read an old blog post of mine on the plot, and we started exchanging ideas via email. This routine was the result of our collaboration.

More recently, I discovered a way to strengthen the colour change aspect of the routine and add a humorous kicker ending.

JUMP AHEAD

On This Page

Effect
Background & Credits
Requirements & Preparation
Method & Presentation
Performance Tips & Additional Ideas
Final Thoughts

Effect

You display four blue-backed Queens to your audience and explain that these lovely ladies are “quick change artists.” The four Queens transform, one at a time, into four red-backed cards. To further demonstrate their quick-change capabilities, the Queens instantly change back into their “beautiful blue dresses.”

Next, the Queen of Hearts and Diamonds become red-backed again. The red Queens are dealt to the table, while the black Queens, which are blue-backed, are held by you. You tell the audience that you will make the Queens change places. You pick up the red-backed cards on the table and replace them with the blue-backed cards in your hand. Your audience will likely be unimpressed with this mundane feat! However, when the cards are turned over, the red-backed cards are discovered to be the black Queens and the blue-backed cards are found to be the red Queens—the faces of the cards have miraculously traded places!

Background & Credits

Phil Pearce and Etienne Lorenceau developed a handling of Daley’s trick using red and blue-backed cards, which they kindly shared with me. I’ve used some of their ideas and applied a “quick change” theme to the trick.

Brian Melchiorre, a magician from Chicago who posts under the name Inventive Magic, also has an unpublished trick called “Deja Blue”, which uses a similar handling to the one used here.

The optional kicker ending (see Performance Tips & Additional Ideas) is based on a technique I devised many years ago called the Minus One Switch.

Requirements & Preparation

You need a red-backed Queen of Spades and Queen of Clubs and a blue-backed Queen of Hearts and Queen of Diamonds. If you want to perform the kicker ending, you’ll also need a red-backed King of Hearts and King of Diamonds, as well as a blue-backed deck. Put the red-backed Kings in your left jacket pocket. Put the red-backed Queens in the blue-backed deck. Make sure to remove the blue-backed Queen of Spades and Clubs from the pack, as they will not be needed. Put the deck into the card box.

If you want to carry this as a separate packet trick, you can do so. Arrange the cards in the following order, from the top of the packet down (all cards are face-up): QH-QS-QC-QD. The exact order of the Queens is not of vital importance so long as the two black Queens are between the two red ones.

Method & Presentation

Remove the cards and place the box aside. Run through the pack and remove the four Queens, being careful not to accidentally flash the two red-backed cards.

Arrange the cards in QH-QS-QC-QD order, holding the cards face-up in left-hand dealer’s grip. Spread the cards between your hands and say, “These four Queens are quick change artists. Look, each Queen is wearing a beautiful blue dress.”

Perform Etienne Lorenceau’s Double Ghost Count on the packet to display four blue backs as you talk. This sleight is essentially the same as Brother John Hamman’s Flustration Count. However, when you turn your right hand palm up to display the back of the right-hand packet, you should simultaneously rotate your left hand palm down to flash the back of the left-hand packet. This produces a double display of blue backs.

Keeping the cards face up in your left hand, perform Dai Vernon’s Through the Fist Flourish. As the packet emerges from your palm-down fist, allow it to rotate clockwise and re-grip it between your right thumb and fingers. Next, turn your left hand palm up and transfer the packet into left-hand pinch grip. Perform an Elmsley Count to display one red-backed card and three blue-backed cards. As the red back appears, say, “Look, this little lady is now wearing a ravishing red dress!”

Place the packet onto your left-hand fingertips and immediately perform Vernon’s Variant Through the Fist Flourish, followed by a regular count to display two red-backed cards (this time, count the cards legitimately; no false count is needed). Repeat the Variant Through the Fist Flourish, then perform another Elmsley Count to display three red-backed cards. As you perform the Elmsley Count, outjog the last remaining blue-backed card (the third card of the count) by approximately half its length.

Replace the packet in left-hand dealer’s grip, keeping the blue card outjogged. Use your right hand’s index finger and thumb to spin the outjogged card from the packet and into your right hand. As soon as the blue-backed card has cleared the packet, push over the top card of the packet held in your left hand so that it is sidejogged. This exposes the red-backed card second from the top of the packet and subtly suggests that all three cards are blue. 

Note: Make sure that the two lowermost cards stay aligned; otherwise, your audience might see the blue-backed card on the bottom of the packet. Resting the tip of your left index finger on the top-right-hand edge of the double card will help keep them aligned as the top card is pushed to the right.

Pause for a moment in this position to display three red-backed cards in your left hand (?) and a single blue-backed card in your right. Say, “Only one Queen is still wearing a blue dress.”

Place the blue-backed card on top of the sidejogged card and square up. As this happens, establish a left-hand little finger break below the top two cards of the packet in readiness for a double turnover. Perform the turnover to display the Queen of Spades on top of the packet (?). Repeat the turnover. The Queen of Spades appears to have a blue back. Next, rotate your left hand palm down and perform The Glide, pulling the face-up Queen of Spades from beneath the packet and dropping it on the table.

Keeping your left hand palm down, grip the packet of three cards with your right hand, thumb on top and fingers below. Replace the cards in left-hand dealer’s grip, then immediately spread them and casually displace the top two cards of the packet to the bottom (without changing their order). Flip the packet face up. A red card will be on top, giving the impression that all three cards are red-backed.

Rub the Queen of Spades on the surface of the table and then turn it over to reveal that its back has also transformed from blue to red as you say, “Now they’re all wearing radiant red dresses!”

Note: If you prefer, you can place the Queen of Spades on a spectator’s hand and have it change colour as they hold it. Instruct a spectator in your audience to hold their hand out flat, “like a table”. Demonstrate what you mean with your right hand. Turn your left hand palm-down and perform The Glide. Place the face-up Queen of Spades onto the spectator’s hand.

Allow your audience to examine the card, then turn it face up again. Perform Jean-Pierre Vallarino’s Rumba Count, dealing the three other Queens on top of the Queen of Spades. 

Slide the pile off the table and perform another Double Ghost Count to display four red-backed cards (?).

Squiggle the cards (two in each hand, a la Paul Harris), and casually displace the top two cards to the bottom of the packet. Perform another Double Ghost Count to show that the Queens are now all wearing “beautiful blue dresses” again.

Perform another Through the Fist Flourish and Elmsley Count to transform one of the blue cards back to red. Then, perform another Variant Through the Fist Flourish and another regular count to turn a second red card blue and say, “Two blue, two red. These girls are amazing!” 

Perform a Pinky Pulldown to establish a left little finger break above the bottom card of the packet. Grip the packet from above in right-hand end grip, transferring the break to your right thumb. Displace the top card to the bottom of the packet using your left thumb, maintaining the break and transferring it back to your left little finger.

Perform a double turnover to show the Queen of Diamonds on top of the packet. Point out that the redhead is wearing a red dress. Repeat the turnover, then deal the top card of the packet to the table.

Reverse count the three cards remaining in your hand, bringing the other red-backed card to the top of the packet. Next, perform another double turnover to display the Queen of Hearts (this is easy because of the three-card packet). Repeat the turnover, then deal the top card on top of the red-backed card already on the table.

Situation Check: The two red-backed cards are on the table. Your audience thinks these two cards are the Queen of Hearts and Queen of Diamonds. However, they’re actually the two black Queens. You’re holding the two blue-backed cards. Your audience believes these to be the Queen of Spades and Queen of Clubs, but they’re, in fact, the red ones.

Flick the two cards in your hand (without showing their faces) and say, “These girls are black and blue, just how I like my steak! And now for their most spectacular trick! The red Queens and black Queens will change places in front of your very eyes.”

Pick up the two red-backed cards on the table with your right hand, and then drop the two blue-backed cards in the same space occupied by the red-backed cards moments before. Transfer the red-backed cards into your left hand. Wait for the groans from your audience, then flip the two red-backed cards face up to reveal the two black Queens. Finally, turn the two blue-backed cards over to reveal the red Queens. The faces of the red and black Aces have transposed!

Performance Tips & Additional Ideas

This trick should be performed at a reasonably fast pace. However, you should slow down when you reach the final transposition stage so that your audience has time to process which cards are where before they switch places.

The lame joke serves an important function; it lowers expectations and, consequently, enhances the reaction you’ll receive from the final transposition.

Borrowing From Bannon

If you want to involve your participant more in the final transposition phase, you can use an idea from John Bannon. Ask your assistant to turn both hands so their palms face upward and then cross their arms. Next, place the blue-backed cards in their right hand and the red-backed ones in their left. Tell them you will make the red and black Queens change places. Cross your arms and then gently grasp their fingertips. When you uncross your arms, your assistant will instinctively uncross their arms, too. This idea is taken from John’s excellent handling of Dr Jacob Daley’s Last Trick called “Doctored Daley” (see performance video below):

John Bannon performing “Doctored Daley”. Video Credit: Big Blind Media.

This approach works particularly well with “Quick Change Queens” because it leaves all four cards in your participant’s hands at the conclusion of the routine.

Drag Queen Kicker

Now, I did promise to share an optional kicker ending with you. Before your performance, put the two red-backed Kings in your right jacket pocket. Remove the four Queens from the deck, then put the rest of the cards in your pocket, secretly adding the two red-backed kings to the bottom of the face-down deck.

Perform the trick as described above, but stop before performing the Rumba Count. Instead, drop the red-backed Queen of Spades on top of the three-card packet in your left hand. Retrieve the deck from your pocket and drop the four-card packet on top. Immediately cut and spread the cards, as you say, “The problem with this trick is that I ruin a deck of cards every time I perform it. It is unwise to play Poker with a deck containing four red-backed Queens!” Four red-backed cards will be seen in the middle of the spread. This simple technique has switched out the two blue-backed Queens for the red-backed Kings. Upjog the red-backed cards and strip them out of the pack (without changing their order).

Situation Check: Your audience believes that you hold four red-backed Queens. However, you have the following cards from the top of the packet down: KH-KD-QS-QC.

Perform a triple turnover to display the Queen of Spades on the top of the packet (?). Repeat the turnover, then deal the top card, the King of Hearts, to the table. Next, perform the Vernon-Christ-Annemann Alignment Move on the three-card packet. This will align the top and bottom cards. Grasp these two cards from their rear short edge with your right hand, fingers on top, thumb below. Turn the card end-for-end, placing it ever-so-slightly outjogged on the cards below it. Use your left index finger to push the double square with the rest of the cards. The Queen of Clubs will appear on top of the packet. Unbeknown to your audience, the King of Diamonds is also now face up below it. Perform a double turnover, and then deal the top card of the packet to the table (on top of the card already there).

Tell your audience that you will make the red and black Queens magically change places. Flick the cards in your hand, then turn them face up to reveal that you hold the two black Queens. Once this surprise has registered, say, “So, if I have the black Queens, where are the red ladies?” Someone should say, “On the Table”. Before anyone has time to turn them over, continue by stating, “Can I let you into a little secret? These are no ordinary Queens. They’re drag Queens!” As you deliver this line, drag the two face-down cards across the table’s surface. Wait for your audience to roll their eyes at your silly joke, then begin to rub the cards against the surface of the table as you say, “No, really, if I wipe the makeup off their faces, you’ll see that these cards are, in fact, the red Kings!” Turn both cards over to reveal the kicker transformation.

If you don’t like this childish joke, you can ask someone to say the magic words “Sexo Chango!” to make the Red Queens transform into Kings. Admittedly, this is still just as childish, but I like how it fits with the “Quick Change” theme of the trick.

Final Thoughts

My favourite way of performing this trick is with the additional “Drag Queen” kicker ending. I like this approach because the switch retrospectively strengthens the false displays used in the routine and makes it difficult for people to backtrack to the method.

You can try this trick with various cards. For instance, you can use the four Aces and then convert the black ones into the King and Queen of Hearts for a more romantic routine suitable for couples on Valentine’s Day. The core effect works well in this context because you’re changing the backs of the cards from blue to red, the universal colour of love and romance! ❤