hillcountrymagic
$20.00
Condition Very Good - Ex Libris Kreskin- Signed by Kreskin
Published in 1975 by Trik-Kard Specialties, Gambling Tricks with Cards – Part Two by Nick Trost is the second volume in his four-part series dedicated to gambling demonstrations and proposition bets. True to Trost's signature style, the routines rely on clever mathematical principles, card stacks, and psychological subtleties rather than difficult, knuckle-busting sleight of hand.
The booklet is split into distinct categories focusing on proposition wagers (sucker bets) and simulated card game swindles:
1. Sucker Bets with Cards (Proposition Bets)
This section contains a collection of propositions where the odds heavily favor the performer, despite appearing perfectly fair—or even advantageous—to the spectator.
Odd-Even Bet & Red and Black Wager: Bets based on predicting the color or numerical properties of drawn cards, mathematically structured to ensure the performer stays ahead.
Tic-Tac-Toe Bet: A card-based layout game that mimics the simplicity of Tic-Tac-Toe but utilizes hidden odds to trap the gambler.
Two Reds and Two Blacks / Suit Bet: Proposition deals where the spectator chooses combinations of suits or colors, unaware that the distribution of the remaining deck renders their choice statistically unviable.
Pair Bet & Queen Bet: Challenges where the spectator bets on whether a pair or a specific queen will appear under certain conditions.
Ace, Deuce, or Jack Bet: A classic sucker game where the spectator is given an seemingly generous choice of three cards, yet still loses due to specific dealing structures.
Deck Cutting & Two-Together Bets: Bets based on where a spectator cuts the deck or whether two specific cards will end up adjacent after a shuffle.
Four-Ace Proposition & Combination Bet: Advanced sucker bets designed to mimic real-world street scams involving the four Aces.
2. Various Card Games and Swindles
This section covers routines framed as full demonstrations of crooked card table practices.
The "Canfield" Solitaire Trick: Originally attributed to Nate Leipzig in the 1920s and passed down through Stewart Judah. Trost outlines a precise stack where a pack can be shuffled and cut, yet when a game of Canfield Solitaire is dealt out, the performer successfully beats the near-impossible odds to win the game.
Odd Man Wins! A demonstration featuring the performer, an assistant (shill), and a spectator. Each takes a packet of shuffled cards and flips them over; the person with the odd-colored card wins the round. Because the performer sets up a hidden alternating red/black sequence, either the performer or the shill is guaranteed to hold the odd card every single time.
The Trick of Thirty-One: A classic card-table cheat where players take turns drawing cards to try and reach exactly 31 without going over. Trost reveals the key mathematical strategy that allows the person going first (or using key tracking numbers) to inevitably control the game's outcome.
The Siamese Aces / The Circus Card Trick: Interactive routines showcasing how a card sharp can seemingly track or control specific target cards regardless of how much the spectator mixes the deck.
Unlike Part One (which leaned closer to formal poker and blackjack demonstrations like stacking and bottom dealing), Part Two focuses on operational street math and psychological trickery. It is highly regarded by close-up magicians and mentalists because it allows the performer to perfectly simulate the devious nature of a card sharp while keeping the handling virtually self-working.
