The Double Handed Pass



The purpose of the sleight is to cause the upper and lower parts of the pack, divided into halves by placing the little finger between them, to change places. In other words, the upper part of the pack is made to take the place of the lower one, and vice versa.

Why is this useful? Usually a selected card is placed on the lower half of the pack. The upper half is then placed on top of this. The pass is then made in the twinkling of an eye, and the selected card is moved from the middle to the top of the pack.

Two descriptions on how to do this pass will be provided – the first as written by A. Roterberg, and the second by Howard Thurston.

A. Roterberg’s Description of The Double Handed Pass

Fig 1

For this purpose the pack is held in the left hand, being divided into two nearly equal parts by the little finger inserted between them, Fig. 1.

(Most American conjurors, including myself, prefer the insertion of the third finger instead of the fourth one, as it allows the fingers to grip the packet more firmly.)

Fig 2

The pack is now covered with the right hand (Fig. 2), which seizes the lower half of the pack (the fingers being stationed on the upper edge of the cards and the thumb at the bottom). Under cover of the right hand, the upper half of the pack, which is held clipped between the third and fourth fingers, is drawn away till it just clears the lower half.

Simultaneously with this movement, the right hand lifts up the lower half, the root of the thumb acting as a support. Thus both halves are made to pass each other without actually touching, both having now changed places.

Fig 3

A close inspection of Fig. 3 will serve to illustrate this transposition still better. The shaded part (No. 2) in the drawing represents the lower half while the lighter one (No. 1) indicates the upper one. The original position of these two halves is shown in A; while in B, the upper half of the pack is represented in the act of being tilted upwards by the third and fourth fingers of the left hand. In C, the lifting of the lower half is illustrated; in D, both halves are seen to have passed each other; E shows the new position of the two halves.

The beginner will at first find the making of the pass a rather awkward and difficult task, but as the beginner continues to practice the fingers will soon become more pliable, as it were, and act in unconscious unison. In a few weeks the pass can be mastered so that tricks depending on it can be safely exhibited.

An ideal pass, which must be absolutely noiseless, quick as a flash and practically invisible will, however, take a year or more to acquire &endash; and even then constant practice must be devoted to it.

This description is from the book “Card Tricks and How To Do Them”, published by A. Roterberg.

Howard Thurston’s Description of The Pass

For the accomplishment of this sleight, the pack is held as in Fig. 101, with the little finger of the left hand inserted over the card to be brought to the top.

Fig 101

Now cover the pack with the right hand. Grasp the lower portion of the pack lengthways between the second finger at the upper, and the thumb at the lower end, the left thumb lying slightly bent across the pack. Press the upper edge of the lower packet into the fork of the left thumb so that the two packets will be in the position depicted in Fig. 102.

Fig 102

The fingers of the left hand are now extended, causing the upper portion of the pack to be drawn away, at the same time raising (with the right hand) the lower edge of the under pack till the edges of the packets just clear each other (see Fig. 103), when, by the mere act of closing the left hand, they will be brought together as at first, save that they will have changed places, and the desired card will now be on the top. The letters A and B in the illustrations will make this clear.

Fig 103

The pass will appear exceedingly difficult of execution at the outset; but with careful practice, aiming more at neatness than rapidity, the differ­ent movements which I have described will melt, as it were, into one, and the sleight can then be accomplished in an absolutely indetectable manner.

There are numerous other methods of making the pass, some with the aid of only one hand; but as the above is conceded to be the most perfect, I have thought it necessary for me to explain merely this one.

This description is from the book “Card Tricks” by Howard Thurston.


Related posts:

  1. The Pass

This entry is filed under Card Trick Skills.