Il l u s t r a t e d B y ： A d r ia n D a n u t B iz a u

E l i x i r V o l u m e 1 | Is s u e # 2 | A u tum n #1
L o g o 8c C o v e r s B y : C a t a l i n C a n t e a
O c t o b e r MMXVM
E d i t e d B y : M. H e l m e r
C o p y r i g h t 201 2 - 2 0 1 7
 (THE KRAS CHANGE -- CONTINUED)

Effect

A card is placed half its length out-jogged in the centre of the deck. The magician then bends
the card upward and then quickly releases it. When the card flips back down, it has changed
into another cardl

[ethod

Hold the deck in a Dealer's Grip and execute a double lift. Place the two cards face up on the
top of the deck, up-jogged around two or three centimetres. Pick up the two cards as one with
your right hand and your fingers positioned as so:

Your index finger on the left long-edge, your little finger on the right long-edge, and your
middle finger and ring finger on the top edge applying a slight amount of downward pressure
(Fig 1).

Riffle about halfway down the deck with your left thumb and insert the double half its length
into the middle. Then, place the fleshy pad at the base of your left thumb on the top of the
deck and apply some downward pressure (Fig. 2). This is needed, because it will anchor the two
halves of the deck together when bending the cards.
For clean-up, cut all of the cards above the out-jogged card to the bottom of the deck. This
should place the face-up card on the bottom of the deck, and the out-jogged card on top. Drop
This next part gets a little tricky. In the action of bending the card back toward yourself
the out-jogged onto the table or turn it face-down, then execute a single card half-pass to
with your right index finger, middle finger, and thumb (Fig. 3), your right thumb pushes the
turn the face-up card back face down, or any other method you prefer.
top card of the double inward a bit, so that its uppermost edge is positioned under the top
index of the second card (Fig. 4).
Note; This change is meant to be done swiftly. If done at a slower pace, the top card may not
insert itself properly within the deck. This change is a knack, and may take a decent amount of
practice and time to get it to work for you.

Also, if the correct amount of pressure from the left hand is not applied, the insertion will
not work, the deck can perhaps separate. Furthermore, when you bend the bottom card, it can be
pulled straight out of the deck! Oh no!

Proceed to bend the bottom card of the double toward yourself, but do not let go of it
immediately. What should happen is that the top card will be pushed backward due to the bending
of the second card, and will be inserted flush within the deck (Fig. 5). Once the top card is
fully inserted, release your grasp of the out-jogged card and it will spring downward. The
change is complete.

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 (THE WEAKNESS — CONTINUED)

This action of slowly pushing the coin forward will condition the spectator and set the
precedence; or at least it should! Just before you release your grip on the coin, gingerly pull
back on the coin a little bit, so the hook can catch into the fabric (Fig. 7)•

Iffeet: Now, ask the spectator to attempt to push the coin back toward you, in the same manner that you
did previously (gently pushing it with the pad of their dominant index finger). The spectator
A coin is introduced and placed onto soft surface. The magician then slides the coin over to the will attempt to push the coin toward you, but because of the hook in the fabric, they will find
spectator with the tip of his finger. He then does a magical gesture and then asks the spectator the task impossible!
to slide the coin back to him, which they will find to be an impossible task as the coin does
not budge! With just a snap, the magician asks the spectator to do the same action again, only You can even push the coin forward some more (making sure to pull back slightly before you
to find that they can now move the coin! release so the hook digs in again), and when they attempt to push it back, they will be
unsuccessful! Now you can remove the hooked coin from the table and switch it for the regular
Prerequisites You will need a hooked coin and a regular identical mate, as well a soft and mate, and place the un-gaffed coin on the surface.
stable surface to perform on, so the hooked coin can dig itself in securely. This effect does
not work on flimsy close-up mats, nor does it work on hard surfaces like wood or linoleum. Magically gesture toward your spectator, and say that you are going to remove their hypnosis.
Michael suggests, a close-up pad with a rubber bottom, a carpet, or a soft couch. He advises Push the coin toward them slowly, and ask for them to push it back. They will now find the task
against table cloths, as they are easily moved. possible.

ethod:

Begin by showing the spectator a regular coin (for this effect Michael suggests using Kennedy
Half-Dollars). Hand the spectator the regular coin and allow them to examine it. Have them take
note of the weight of the coin, or lack there of. Upon examination, have them return the coin to
you, and then switch it for the hooked one using your preferred method. Keep the regular coin
palmed in your other hand.

Place the hooked coin down on the surface with the tip of the hook pointing toward yourself. Do
some sort of magical gesture and say something along the lines o f :

"I am going to demonstrate on you the properties of hypnosis. If I simply snap my fingersf I can
make it so the coin appears to be much heavier to yourself, than it is to me•"

You can also perhaps say something like:

"You will lose your strength temporarily^.

Or whatever you want to do, preferably something better and more thought out." Now, using the pad
of your dominant index finger, slowly and gently slide the coin toward your spectator several
inches (Fig. 6).

This is a variant/application of THE KRAS CHANGE. This variant uses the sleight not as a visual
change , but instead as a covert switch, and is a superb addition to any Inversion routine.

[ethod

Begin by spreading through the deck and have a spectator touch one card. Wherever they stop
you, break the spread in two. Then, pull back on the cards in your left hand with your left
thumb to square them up. As you square them, obtain a little finger break beneath the top two
cards (Fig. 8 ). Perform a double lift by using your right fingers to clip the double underneath
the right-hand portion of the spread. Casually turn the two cards over (Fig. 9 ). Place the
double up-jogged on the top of the left-hand packet, and gingerly close up the spread above it
so the double does not separate (Fig. 10).

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 ((IN)VERSION -- CONTINUED)

Now, you are going to perform THE KRAS CHANGE (taught earlier), but with some slight
differences. They are as such:

In the normal KRAS CHANGE, you would allow the bottom card to spring off of your fingers to
show that the card has changed, but in this variant you do not.

Effect:

The magician takes a coin (which can be borrowed) and places it into the card box. He then has
a card selected. The card is then touched against the box, and then instantly it transforms
into the coin! The box is then opened, only to find the selected card inside I

Prerequisites You need the following items -- A single card (which can be selected, but I
don’t really feel like beginning the explanation by saying such), an empty card box (with the
flap open), and a medium-sized coin (half-dollar size).

Begin by allowing the spectator examine all three items. Both the coin and the card may even be
signed if that's your thing. You can even have them sign the box too, but I cannot see that
doing much good!

Once the items have been inspected, have them returned to the table; make sure the box is still
open and placed face up with the top end facing toward yourself. Explain to your spectator that
once the coin and the card come in contact with each other, they form a special type of bond.
Proceed to rub the two objects together; preferably in a non-pornographic manner. Unless you're
that kind of magician...

Now, place the card down on the table, face up, and keep the coin in your right hand. Pick up
the box with your left hand making sure to keep it face up, and the flap facing yourself. You
are going to now mime the action of placing the coin inside the bo x . Beforeyou do so, place
When the top card of the double is inserted into the centre of the deck, do not spring the your left index finger along the bottom end of the box (Fig. 12). This is done so you do not
bottom card down, instead bend it back toward yourself, keeping the back to the spectator expose the action of not truly placing the coin in the bo x . Spoiler!
(Fig. 11). Strip out the card, and insert it up-jogged and face down into the centre of the
deck. Gingerly spread the cards from hand to hand and when you near the middle and the up- Now, for the miming -- Turn your right hand palm down and hold the coin with your right index
jogged card, push off a large chunk of the spread with your left thumb over to the right, thus finger and middle finger on top, and your thumb below. As you near the box, flick the flap with
hiding the face-up card. Now, square up the deck and insert the X-card flush. Then, spread the back of your right index and middle finger, allowing it to rest on them (Fig. 13). This is
through the cards more thoroughly this time, and show that the selection has turned face up. used to help shade the miming action.

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 (STRANGER EXCHANGE -- CONTINUED) (STRANGER EXCHANGE -- CONTINUED)

What is going to happen now is that you will insert your index finger and middle finger into Checkpoint -- The card should be resting on your left palm and underneath it should be the
the box, and your thumb will go underneath and place the coin onto the palm of your left hand coin, and down on the table there is the closed box with the front end facing the spectator.
(Fig. 14). After that, pull your index finger and middle finger out of the box, and as you do From here, your right hand will turn palm down and pick up both the card and the coin as a
so, make sure to hit the flap with the backs of those fingers again. This sound will help sell single unit with your right index finger and middle finger at the face of the card, and your
the illusion just a little bit more. Then simply close the flap. thumb anchoring the coin to the back of the card at the bottom left-hand corner (Fig. 18).

At this point it is important not to move your left hand nor the box alltoo much, as there is The card and coin are now held in a modified Snap Change position (Fig. 19A & 19B). Continue by
nothing inside 1 Keep in mind that most laymen are not idiots! hovering your right hand over top of the box about four centimetres or so, not too far. Explain
to the spectator, that once the card makes contact with the box, it will change places with the
Now, splay out your left fingers and spin the box on top of the coin 180° with your right coin inside. Proceed to slide the box to your left quite a ways with your left hand. This will
fingers (Fig. 15). Place your left index finger back at the front of the box. The top of the allow you more cover when you do the Snap Change. In one swift motion, your right hand will
box should now be facing your spectator. Once it is rotated, pick up the card on the table with move downward toward the box, and once the card's bottom corner has made contact, execute the
your right index finger and thumb at its short edges in a modified End Grip. You are now going Snap Change. The card should slide back into the cover of your hand and will be held in Tenkai
to switch the positions of the card and the bo x . Palm, and the coin should be held with your right index and thumb (Fig. 20). Continue to move
down toward the table and place the coin on the top of the box.

To do so, your right hand moves overtop of the box and contacts the back edge of it with your
right thumb (Fig. 16). Your right middle finger will then grasp the top right-edge of the box,
as your left thumb is placed on the face of the card. Then, drop the card onto the box by
releasing the grip of your index finger (Fig. 17). What will happen now is that your left thumb
will pull the card over onto your left palm and cover the coin, and your right hand will move
over to the right and place the box onto the table (the front end of which should be facing the
spectator). This whole switch-out should be done near the surface of the table, so that there
is not much movement of the box. Thus not raising any suspicions of there being anything in it
or not.

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 (STRANGER EXCHANGE -- CONTINUED)

Release your grip on the coin and let it sit on the box for a moment, then slide your right
hand back toward yourself and rest it on the edge of the table, with relaxed fingers. Reach
forward with your left hand and grasp the short left-edges of the box with middle finger and
thumb in an End Grip. Tilt the box and have the coin slide off of it and onto the table , then
grasp it with your left hand in a Dealer’s Grip. Now, your right hand moves overtop of the box
and holds it as such -- your right index and middle finger go to the front, and your ring Regarded as "one of the most creative young magicians in Canada’’， Michael Kras has been
finger and little finger go underneath (Fig. 21). The palmed card is then dropped onto the top studying, performing, and creating magic for over fifteen years. His first commercial release,
of the box, as your right fingers turn the box face down (Fig. 22 & 23). THE DESTINY EFFECT, hit the market when he was only 16 years old, and became an instant
bestseller. Later, his KRAS CHANGE, a visual and practical change of one playing card into
The box is now held in Dealer's Grip with the card underneath it. From here, flip the flap open another, caught the attention of heavyweights such as Tyler Wilson, Dan and Dave Buck, Lee
and mime the action of removing the card from within the box. This is done in a similar, but Asher, and Daniel Garcia. It too became a commercial bestseller, and still sits in the working
reverse manner of how the coin was placed onto the palm of the left hand earlier in the effect, repertoires of magicians everywhere today.
kinda... With a palm-up right hand, your right index and middle fingers go underneath the box,
and your thumb is inserted within. Pinch the long sides of the box with your left hand. In one Fascinated by the correlation between magic and theatre, Michael trained in the acting
swift motion, pull your right hand backward. The card will glide along the bottom of the box, conservatory at Humber College, and has since gained notable success as a performer and
and once it has cleared it, it will be clipped between your left index, middle finger , and playwright; his work has earned him multiple grants and awards.
thumb {Fig. 24). This action will make it appear as if the card was inside of the box. Hooray!
After graduation, Michael returned to Humber College as a guest teacher to incorporate sleight
of hand technique with movement-intensive physical theatre practices. Next, Michael will be
working on a piece of solo-theatre that blends magic and dramatic text. He hopes it doesn't
suck.

Michael Kras
August 2016

- Kras Change; The change is a face-up cousin of the Push-In Change, originally published in
EXPERT CARD TECHNIQUE by Jean Hugard and Fred Braue (Carl Jones Publishing, 1940)

- The Weakness: Paul Harris explored the idea of a light-and-heavy effect using a coin with his
effect Light and Heavy Dime, originally published in THE ART OF ASTONISHMENT VOLUME 1 (A-l
Multimedia, 1996)

- ( In)Version: The Inversion plot was originated by Richard Kaufman, as published in his book
CARDMAGIC under the name The World's Fastest Reverse (Kaufman and Greenberg, 1979)

- Stranger Exchange: Credit goes to Paul Harris, who originated the effect on which mine is
based. The trick was originally published in CLOSE UP FANTASIES FINALE under the name A Very
Strange Exchange (Chuck Martinez Productions, 1981). It was later and more famously published
in THE ART OF ASTONISHMENT VOLUME 3 as Strange Exchange (A-l Multimedia, 1996) . The Snap
Change, or at least a form of it, was published in FELSMAN#S MAGICAL REVIEW (VOL. 2 NO. 6 —
NOV 1921 - FEB 1922 ) on pg. 6. For further reading, please visit the Conjuring Credits website.

Also Michael Kras

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