The Italian translation of Erdnase published by Florence Art. Can anyone comment on the preface written by SF?

Thanks.

Preface - "The Expert at the Card Table"

"The Expert at the Card Table" is one of the most intriguing works on "Card Table Artifice" to ever surface. Written almost a century ago, the text remains a "classic" with far reaching impact on sleight of hand enthusiasts all over the world. When past masters like the late Professor Dai Vernon extolled the book as one of the greatest ever written, hoards of serious magic students devoured the book's contents. And those with a passion for gambling sleight-of-hand, read and reread the book looking for the "real work."

The magic community remains fascinated by the enigma of Erdnase. Three books: "Revelations," "The Annotated Erdnase" and "A Man called Erdnase" were all written to either critique the techniques described or bring to light the many questions regarding the author's background. Who exactly was E. S. Andrews? Who was the genius responsible for such a masterful treatise?

Since my early teens, I have always been a devoted student of all aspects of sleight of hand with cards, but my true passion, was gambling moves. Having been exposed to many forms of gambling at an early age, the fascination was there for life. When I first read "The Expert at the Card Table," I recall feelings of intimidation due to the book's technical nature. It was a justifiable reaction as techniques such as the "shift," "bottom deal," and "diagonal palm shift", to name a few, are some of the most difficult moves in the entire spectrum of card manipulation.

It was not until many years later that I formed my first real impressions of the book-or might I dare say an intelligent opinion. I had moved to Las Vegas and began gambling "professionally." I was fortunate to have as my teachers, some of the best players in the world. They had won millions honestly, but clearly understood the perils of being cheated. I remember being warned, "if you really want to take this business seriously, you had better learn to protect yourself from being cheated." I did. My chosen profession inevitably crossed paths with many nefarious characters. Thanks to my hobby--gambling sleight-of-hand--I earned the confidence of many top cheaters and routinely swapped information. I often asked hustlers to show me their favorite "shift" or how they might "bottom palm" cards to help nullify the cut. They laughed and looked at me like I was crazy. I quickly learned that shifts are rarely attempted in any card game, bottom palming to get past the cut is a fantasy, and some of the other techniques exposed by Erdnase contradicted and challenged my real life experiences. I started to doubt the sincerity and authenticity of a book many regarded as the final word.

In October 1995, Francesco Mugnai asked me to write the preface for this book. I suggested that I may not be the best person since I had ambivalent feelings about the content. However, I decided to go back and reread the book just one last time...and I'm sure glad I did.

In just the first three paragraphs alone, Erdnase's sarcasm and wit literally jumps off the page. He shares his distaste with, "self-styled ex-professionals that have proven a wonderful knowledge of the subject by exhuming some antiquated moss-covered ruses as well known as nursery rhymes."

He then boldly lays the rules down by informing the reader, "as certain artifices are first disclosed in this work, so will others remain the private property as long as the originators are so disposed." Erdnase's straightforward and candid style was refreshing to say the least.

I then found Erdnase qualifying many of the book's themes and what I once believed to be oddities. For example, although Erdnase spent a great deal of time describing numerous shifts he also cautioned, "the shift is rarely attempted in any kind of knowing company" and "the artifice is erroneously supposed to be indispensable to the professional player, but the truth is it is little used." He also described some "fancy cuts" in the gambling section that seemed incongruous to his serious card table work. He openly mixed magic with gambling dedicating the latter part of the book to Legerdemain, but he also warned, "The temptation to show off is great. One single display of dexterity and his usefulness is past in that particular company, and his reputation is liable to precede him in many another."

The profundity of Erdnase's insight and wisdom is apparent as he talks about the use of crooked gambling equipment professing a "purist" approach--no equipment, no evidence--then continuing with his thoughts on: Confederacy, Methods of Shuffling, Uniformity of Action, Comportment, Display of Ability, Acquiring the Art, and Suspicion. Under the subtitle Confederacy, he states, "if sitting together so that one cuts on the other's deal the possibilities become so great that ordinary chances will be taken in perhaps 19 out of 20 deals." This is one of the most revealing statements in the entire book. In probably 95% of all cases, this is exactly the way it happens in the real world.

When two cheaters work together, the process of culling a "set" (three of a kind) in preparation for the bottom deal or "run-up" is infinitely easier than when working "solo." And, nullifying the cut becomes child's play--no shifts, no bottom palms--the dealer's partner simply cuts to a "brief."

Erdnase was obviously someone "in the know" and "The Expert at the Card Table" is a book with scope that definitely lives up to its past subtitle, "A Treatise on the Science and Art of Manipulating Cards." His techniques are original, his descriptions are lucid, and his "attention to detail"--as many have noted--is still marveled at even today. And to those that have scoured the book searching for the cheater's best kept secrets, the first 25 pages of the book encompass many of the rules and truisms by which cheaters live by. One of my favorites was an Erdnase metaphor that bluntly puts the "cheaters' nerve" into perspective--it is priceless. It goes, "There are many experts with a gun who can nonchalantly ring up a bull's eye in a shooting gallery but couldn't hit the side of a barn in a duel."

It has been said that "card playing" is a universal sport with more participants than any other. It has also been said that if you gamble for stakes, it is a certainty, that you will lose your money to cheaters sooner or later. I would bet on the "sooner." Erdnase's advice: "there is one way by which absolute protection against unknown advantages may be assured, that is never playing for money." Some things never change.

In closing, don't make the same mistakes I did--reading quickly and carelessly. "The Expert at the Card Table" is a work to be read seriously, carefully and objectively.

When studied in this spirit, the work is truly a delight. Whether your passion is conjuring or gambling, whether you are an expert or hobbyist, whether your intent is to protect or "go for the money," there is something for everyone. It only took me twenty years to appreciate this book's achievement and historical relevance. I look forward to reading it, once again.

Steve Forte 1995

I think his preface speaks for itself rather nicely.

Don't know if this has ever appeared in public (in English) before, though it has circulated amongst Steve's friends for some time.

Jason

A million thanks, Jason. It's always great to read his insight on these things.

-Nicholas

Absolutely, MaitreD. A million thanks, Jason.

What strikes me most is Steve's attitude of "give it one more try". It would seem his intellect is every bit as strong as his manual dexterity. He's a guy to look up to, that's for sure. When others (like some in this forum) have been there, done that, and are now the expert on the subject at age 20, Steve was still exploring and willing to learn at twice that age.

Are we? Am I?

I find that interesting Jeff. I mean you seem to imply that the mind and hands are separate entities in regard to intellectual ability and manual dexterity. Intellectual ability and manual dexterity go hand in hand do they not? It must be so it seems to me as for the head controls the hands. When learning a new move I have found it helps to first read the the instructions very carefully. I then writ them down from memory and check to see if I have it all crystal clear in my mind. When I have got it in my head then and only then do I pick up the cards and try to master it. I don't think one needs to be above average intelligence to master a move but I think one needs to understand it first before ones fingers can be taught what they have to do.

Tommy, I understand your point. But I was saying something different. I'm not talking about IQ. I'm talking about this sense of the "eternal learner", which is a choice not everyone makes. One can have enough intelligence to study this stuff for a life-time and still lack that faculty of self-criticism that Steve shows in that preface. That's all I meant. I wasn't commenting at all on the relationship of intelligence to manual dexterity.

Steve Forte & Erdnase.
Thanks to Jason England for a slice of heaven!