James1vay Poker Deaf

Marketed by SJ, 1948

I
have always loved to work up stunners with cards, and during my time in England
and Europe I had created some concepts I thought were rather special. I began to
advertise them regularly in the Linking Ring beginning with a full-page ad for the
Jamesway Poker Deal in February 1948.
"It utilized the Jamesway Shuffle, and that required the cards in two packets be
perfectly alternated as in a faro. Some have remarked that they have trouble with the
perfect shuffle. However, it is dead easy with this small group of [twenty-five] cards. I
actually call attention to the fact that the shuffle could not be more perfect if done by a
machine: 'In the usual overhand shuffle the cards are bound to be shifted about in groups,
but after I have shuffled the cards, there will be no card beside the card it was beside
before the shuffle.' This seems to convince them. I also find it relatively easy to split the
group as required.
"Remember you are making a strong point about shuffling the cards, and a rough cut
would mean that there would be a group of undisturbed cards. So you fan the cards and
split them between the twelfth and thirteenth cards. A number of magicians pointed out
that the process can be simplified by knowing the twelfth card from the top. Riffle the
cards and cut at that point. When doing the Jarnesway, count the cards you release from
the twelve-card packet and note the seventh. Complete the shuffle, then cut at that card
to give you the correct division for the next shuffle.
'1 am quite fascinated by the fact that cards keep changing their location, but not
their relative position, and that you can shuffle any number of times, not just a stated
amount as in some Jordan ideas. A number of others seemed to share my delight.
"Neil Elias wrote: 'I was very much amused at the unorthodox use to which you put
the perfect shuffle. Who but Stewart James would have thought to use this shuffle to
retain a stack, when everyone else uses it just to stack cards. You have done Jordan one
better. Whereas he could riffle the cards once or twice without destroying a sequence, you
can shuffle any number of times.'
"I believe the shuffles can be compared in this way: one is used to place cards, and

81
82 THE ESSENTIAL STEWART JAMES

the other is used to keep from displacing them. The latter is the aim of the usual false
shuffle, but the result is obtained by immobility. By using relationship rather than position,
I added mobility. The cards move, but their relationship does not change; it doesn't matter
how you couple the cars in a train, the contents remain the same.
"In the August 1948 Hugard'sMagicMonth!J Fred Braue wrote: 'For my money, Charles
Jordan never produced a trick with the brilliance and entertainment potential of James's
originations. The Jamesway Poker Deal is another good one.' That comment thrilled me.
And J. G. Thompson, Jr., was complimentary in his 'Focus On Hocus' column in the
March, 1948, LinkingRing. He wrote: 'So many of the Stewart James creations employ
new principles that I am no longer surprised when I read his latest brainchild ... there
is one move which will completely floor laymen and well over 90 per cent of magicians.'
I assume he meant the shuffle!"

-0-

David Ben wrote: "The Jamesway Poker Deal can only be described as stealth magic.
The method flies completely under the radar. You don't have to know why it works, only
that it does work - every time."
The magician deals five hands face down. The hand in front of him is turned over and
revealed as most ordinary. Saying that he will improve on just chance, he riffle shuffles
these twenty-five cards any number of times. The spectator decides where he wants the
winning hand to be dealt. The magician does it.
During a previous trick, slip five cards to the top of the deck - any cards that will
make a good poker hand. Having revealed the chosen card from your previous trick,
return it to the deck and riffle shuffle without disturbing the top stock.
Deal five hands and show them to be of indifferent quality. Pick up the hands in any
order face down. The former five top cards will now be every fifth card from the top of
the twenty-five card packet.
Explain that you are going to give the cards an absolutely perfect riffle shuffle. Slide
off the twelve top cards, without disturbing their order, and place them face down on the
table beside the thirteen remaining face-down cards.
Release the bottom card from the group of thirteen, then the bottom card from the
group of twelve, and continue releasing one card at a time alternately. You will start and
end with a card from the pile of thirteen.

TUIRT£~AI CARDS
 JAMESWAY POKER DEAL 83

Slowly square the cards and direct attention to the fact that no card is now beside the
card is was beside before the shuffle. Even a machine could not do a better job. Offer to
repeat the shuffle as many times as requested. You will probably have to try this before
you are convinced, but every fifth card from the top of the packet will continue to be
from the hand you set up.
If you dealt the cards around now, you would have the winning hand. By shifting the
proper number of cards from the top to the bottom of the packet, you will readily see
how the high hand may be dealt to any position on the board. The spectator marks his
choice by placing a coin on the table. You are holding the packet face down in the left
hand with the top four cards slightly fanned. By watching the spectator's eyes, you know
where the coin will be dropped and can make any shift that is necessary to be ready to
proceed without delay. Subtract the numerical value of the selected position from 5 to
know the number of cards to shift to the bottom.

The Five-Ace Deal

A
rrange twenty-five cards in the following order from top to face: Joker KH lOH
QH9CAHKS 9D QSKCAS9S 9HJD QCAD JS lODJHJCACKD 10SQD
10C. Place this stock on top of the rest of the cards and you are ready.
In presenting, cut the deck at or below the ten of clubs and riffle shuffle this
approximate half of the deck into the remaining cards. Say that you will use only the high
cards so that all the hands will be of sufficient value to make it interesting. The Joker is
declared wild.
Turn the deck face up and deal the cards in two face-up piles, just as you come to them.
Joker, aces, kings, queens, jacks, tens, and nines go in the packet you use. They will be
reversed from their original order.

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Jamesway shuffle any number of times and deal five hands. They will be: Three of a
kind, kings; Full house, tens over nines; Full house, queens over jacks; Straight flush, king
high in clubs; Five aces, four aces and the wild Joker. You get that one.