James Swain’s The Capitulating Queens
Close Up Packet Trick Written Instructions
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What a great routine! Gary Plants, he of gaffed card fame, has released James Swain’s The Capitulating Queens. This is the type of routine that you will carry around with you to do when someone wants to see some magic, Gary says he carries it in his wallet and I believe him. The effect is four queens are shown and the spectator picks one and you show that the other three queens have the same back but the spectators selection has a different back….shades of Twisted Sister eh? Wait! The spectator is then shown had he picked another queen then that queen would have a different back while the rest are the same, only the back is different than the original selection as well. You then show that if a third choice was made it too would have a different back! The last card, the evil spade, is shown to have the same back as the other cards have had during the performance but you then change the other three cards backs into the same design and color, but different than what you have been showing the previous three times. You then show that all of the cards have different backs and you can then toss them the cards to look at and even leave them with the table if you wish.

This routine is simple, if you have knowledge of card magic, to do and looks great. The explanation is in booklet form so you visual learners will be in trouble. I found the instructions very clear and had no problems learning how to perform the effect and I am putting this into my wallet. This is the type of packet trick that magicians enjoy doing and since you can toss the queens down for inspection it will meet the needs of those out there who feel that everything they do must be touched by the spectator, again I’m not in that camp, but hey, if you are you can let the cards be touched, licked, torn, kept, what ever floats your boat. I’m happy to see someone is putting out a good little routine like this and I think most of you will like it. The crediting is complete as well. You do get the cards needed to perform this effect with the booklet. Well done to all involved….this is a winner!

I had Cards By Martin make me one of these in the early 90s and performed it every chance I got. This is a great packet trick!

This routine seems to have similarities to "All the Non-Conformists" from Michael Skinner. Would I be safe in saying that?

Jared

Yes you would! This routine and All The Non Conformists are based on All The Conformists by Martin Gardner. I should note that Jennings did a version of this as does Darwin Ortiz, whos presentation is in the booklet.

I performed the Skinner version for years. The Swain version is perfection. It's on his new L&L DVD set.

I do have one problem and I may be just having a personal issue is the texture of the cards seems off. They are regular cards but they don't slide easily.

This one is very good. I just wrote about it:
http://magic.about.com/od/reviewscards/fr/101808queens.htm

-Wayne

This is also in Swain's book Don't Blink and also a variation in his book Miracles With Cards.

How does the gaff look in the Plants gaff? Significantly 'prettier' than performing this using the standard Bicycle version of the gaff?

Jamie.

I've been doing this ever since Miracles With Cards came out. It's simply fantastic and gets great reactions. I made my own with standard red and blue Bikes and then two cards from the original Rainbow Deck and the set works perfectly. I'm sure Gary's new set is great and if you don't do this trick already, shame on you. It's that good.

Please forgive my very basic card handling, but here is my performance on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r88Uy-EQeY

Is the discrepancy after the EC each time in every handling of the trick?

Isn't this a variation of Cardboard Chameleons or QOOC?

Bugjack, yes there is a discripancy that is repeated and it bothered me but no one seems to notice.

edh, no it isn't but you can find a number of effects you can think it might be related too.

The cards were printed by US Playing Card Company, so they are as good as you are going to find anywhere. Both the colors and designs are all different at the end of the trick.

This is a great trick for anyone, including beginners.

Gary Plants

I just ordered Swain's Miracle's 4 DVD set and will pick it up Monday so I look forward to this along with the rest of James cool work!

From memory James Swain also used this as a card to wallet. Is that covered in the notes?

Hi BIlly,

Yes your memory serves you correctly...in "Miracles with Cards" Mr. Swain details an extended handling wherein the spectator signs one of the queens, you bet that you can make that same queen travel to your pocket without anyone seeing and that you are so sure of this that, if you fail, you will give the spectator the money inside your wallet (e.g. a 20GBP note for us UK guys). You proceed to show the queens one at a time and instantly the signed queen vanishes leaving you with 3 queens. You then triumphantly reach for you pocket to show that it has travelled only to find, in this example, the 20GBP note. Confused you deduce that if the money is there then there is only one place the spectator's signed queen can be...you guessed it...the zipper compartment of wallet you left in full view of the spectator at the beginning of the trick.

I have used this handling for a long time now and it gets unbelievable reactions. If you like the shorter handling,you'll love this...Mr. Swain certainly gives it high recommendation.

As for the DVDs, doesn't look like he is teaching this extended handling...keeping this gem for those with his wonderful book.

Kind regards,

Matthew

Gary handed me a couple of sets of these cards at the TAOM convention back in September. They work really well for the effect. Sure you can use any four queens but it is very hard to get four go together well. There is always a finish or bend issue to contend with. None of that here. If you want a really powerful effect with not much effort take a look at this. You really can't go wrong.

There is a discrepancy repeated several times - but - no one will even think of it after the climax.

I've never really cared for packet tricks. This is the only one I've ever carried with me.

This is a packet trick that looks like real magic to laymen. And, although not necessary, if you know what you are doing everything can be examined. (One of the better ways is completely covered in Gary's instructions.)

This trick is an eye-popper with solid magic from start to finish.

Tom Gaudette

P.S. Ignore any mention of a discrepancy. That's not what laymen are looking at. I've used this under fire hundreds of times.