Peruvian Sandwich

This triple sandwich involves two spectators, three selections, and a smattering of sleight of hand. The effect relies on a simple yet very clever forcing procedure.

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On This Page

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

Effect

Two red-backed Jokers are used to locate three selected cards from a thoroughly shuffled blue-backed deck in a most extraordinary manner. To begin, the Jokers are placed on top of the deck. The first spectator’s selected card instantly appears between the two red-backed Jokers. The same occurs with the second spectator’s chosen card. Finally, the second selection transforms into the third and final chosen card.

Background & Credits

The false display used to disguise the two red-backed cards as Jokers is called the Flushtration Count (more specifically, you’re using the count to display three cards as two in this particular case).

Although commonly credited to Brother John Hamman, the basic principle was first published by Norm Houghton in the June 1955 issue of Ibidem (see his trick, “Color Blind”, on page 7 for complete details). Norm’s inspiration for his handling was Harris Solomon’s Hindu Shuffle display, first published in The Jinx (#44, May 1948).

The force used is so old that it is difficult to know who originated it.

Requirements & Preparation

A blue-backed pack of playing cards (containing at least one Joker) and two red-backed playing cards, such as the Two of Clubs and the Eight of Hearts. Place the two red-backed cards in one of your pockets. I prefer to store them in the breast pocket of my jacket because they won’t get bent out of shape if kept there for an extended period. Find the two matching cards in your blue-backed pack—the Two of Clubs and the Eight of Hearts, in this case—and move them to the top (the specific order of the two cards doesn’t matter). Put the Joker on the face of the pack.

Method & Presentation

False shuffle and cut the cards, retaining the two force cards on top of the pack and the Joker on the bottom. A simple overhand shuffle does this nicely if you begin and end the shuffle by running single cards. Repeat the shuffle to return the force cards to the top of the pack and the Joker to the bottom.

Hand the cards to a spectator and instruct her to deal cards to the table. Let her deal approximately ten cards before you tell her to stop, “whenever she feels the urge.” Ideally, you want her to deal about a quarter of the pack to the table; the exact amount of cards in the pile doesn’t matter so long as there are more than three, the force will still work (it just won’t be as convincing if a very small packet of cards is used, so try your best to avoid this situation).

Next, instruct your spectator to deal the cards into three separate piles, from left to right, as if she were playing a game of cards (we’ll refer to these piles as A, B and C).

Watch which pile the last card is dealt to. If the last card lands on pile A, take the top card from pile B as “your selection.” If the last card falls on pile B, remove the top card from pile C. And if the final card is dealt to pile C, claim the top card of pile A as your selected card.

This procedure sounds complicated, but it really isn’t. Basically, you need to take the one card of the three that is not a force card; following these simple rules will allow you to do this.

🔥 Hot Tip: If the above system seems too complex, you can discreetly mark the back of both force cards ahead of time (if you’re using your own deck, you might as well do this, in fact). Doing so will help you avoid accidentally taking the wrong card when you select your pile.

Instruct your helper to select a pile, look at the top card, and remember it. Once she has done this, she is to replace the card, pick up the pile and give it a good shuffle.

As you explain what you want her to do, carry out the same actions with your own pile. However, you only pretend to remember the top card of your pile; in reality, you look at it and instantly forget it. Ask a second spectator to look at the top card of the remaining pile, then give the packet a thorough mixing.

Get your first spectator to gather up all three piles and shuffle them together. As this is happening, pick up the talon and shuffle the Joker from the bottom to the top of the packet. Run your thumb down the outer left corner of the pack as if you were going to perform a Riffle Force, and ask your second spectator to call out, “Stop”. Break the pack at the indicated point and replace the shuffled packet in the gap.

Situation Check:​ The two force cards, in this case, the Two of Clubs and the Eight of Hearts, are lost somewhere in the middle of the pack. The Joker is on top.

Remove the two red-backed cards from your pocket without showing their faces, and drop them on top of the pack. As you remove the cards from your pocket, glimpse the face card of the pair and remember it (for the purposes of these instructions, let’s assume it’s the Eight of Hearts).

Establish a little finger break below the top three cards of the pack. Pick up all the cards above the break in right-hand end grip. Temporarily turn your right hand palm up to flash the face card of the packet (the Joker). Use your right thumb to pull the top card of the right-hand packet onto the top of the pack. Immediately turn your right hand palm up again to flash the face of the Joker for a second time. Drop the two cards on top of the pack as one. This is a very efficient sequence; not only have you apparently shown the two red-backed cards to both be Jokers, but you’ve also loaded the actual blue-backed Joker between the two red cards, ready for the first reveal.

Riffle the pack and spread over the top three cards to show that a blue-backed card has appeared between the two red-backed “Jokers” (?). Up-jog the blue-backed card and remove the three-card sandwich from the pack with your right hand. Place the pack on the table.

Transfer the three cards into left-hand dealer’s grip. Strip out the blue-backed card, take a quick glance at its face, and then drop it on top of the packet. Then ask the following question, “One of you selected a red card, didn’t you?”

You should now know which spectator took the Eight of Hearts and which got the Two of Clubs.

Double turnover to display the blue-backed card as the Eight of Hearts. Repeat the turnover, then transfer the packet into right-hand end grip. Pick up the pack with your left hand and use your left thumb to pull the blue-backed card on top of the pack.

Casually drop the two red-backed “Jokers” (?) onto the tabletop so you can insert the apparent Eight of Hearts, which is actually the Joker, into the middle of the pack. I usually do this by performing a standard slip cut followed by a quick shuffle. At this stage of the routine, you can also give the cards to one or both of your spectators to shuffle.

Pick up the two red-backed “Jokers” (?) and drop them on top of the pack. Perform the standard sandwich loading sequence as follows: establish a break below the top three cards of the pack. Grasp this packet from above in right-hand end grip. Contact the top card of the packet with your left thumb and pull the packet horizontally to your left; this will cause the top red-backed card to be transferred to the top of the pack (held in your left hand), while the two remaining cards, held as one, should end up in right-hand end grip. Immediately drop the double held in your right hand on top of the pack.

Situation Check: An indifferent blue-backed card is sandwiched between the two red-backed cards. The top card of the pack is the red-backed Two of Clubs.

Riffle the pack again and spread over the top three cards to show that a second blue-backed card has appeared between the two red-backed “Jokers” (?). Out-jog the blue-backed indifferent card and then remove the three-card packet from the pack. Place the pack on the table.

You’re now going to repeat the exact same sequence as before: strip out the centre card, briefly look at its face, remember the identity of the card, and then drop it on top of the packet.

Turn to the spectator who selected the Two of Clubs and say, “You selected a black card, correct?” Perform a double turnover and name the card, in this case, the Two of Clubs. Allow some time for your audience to react to this revelation, then repeat the turnover. Slide the card back between the two red-backed Jokers (?), out-jogged by about an inch.

Instruct the second spectator to take his card (the Two of Clubs). Tell him that you’re not going to find your own card, as “that would be cheating!” No, he’s going to find it for you. Tell your audience that “union rules dictate that the two Jokers are entitled to a break once they’ve found two selected playing cards.” Return the two red-backed cards to your pocket.

Miscall your selected card as the card you just glimpsed. Tell your spectator to tap the top of the pack with their card and say, “This will cause my card to jump to the top.” Turn the top card of the pack face up to display an indifferent card.

Look puzzled for a moment, then make your best “aha face” before saying, “Oh, I know what has happened. Technically, you’re holding the top card!” Encourage your spectator to turn the card over—he has found the card you selected!

Cleanup & Reset

As you’ve already gotten rid of the two red-backed cards, you’re already clean as a whistle. To reset the effect, simply move the two blue-backed force cards to the top of the pack and place the Joker on the face.

Performance Tips & Additional Ideas

You might feel nervous about passing off the two red-backed cards as Jokers using the Flushtration Count, but you shouldn’t. So long as you perform the false display smoothly, then everyone will believe that the two cards are a pair of Jokers from a red-backed pack.

Final Thoughts

This routine demonstrates how deceptive the Flushtration Count can be when used appropriately. Performing it with two odd-backed cards on the deck makes what can be a weak false display particularly strong.

The gag about the two Jokers belonging to a union is very important, as it gives you a reason to pocket the red-backed cards, removing them from play well before the trick reaches its conclusion.

You can also keep two red-backed Jokers hidden in your pocket, just in case someone wants to examine the cards at the end of the trick, but I really don’t think this is necessary. If the cards have been handled casually throughout, there should be no suspicion that the two red-backed Jokers are anything but ordinary.