The Herrmann Pass The double-handed pass I am about to describe was a favorite with the late Alexander Herrmann, who delighted in puzzling people versed in the usual sleights with it. In this pass, which depends almost exclusively upon misdirection, no change of the two halves of the pack can possibly be seen no matter how closely the spectator watches for it. The secret lies in the fact that the upper front half of the pack is held in an upright position. It is behind this half, where the spectator cannot see, that the change of the two packets takes place. Fig 4 In the first position of the two packets, the lower &endash; or, rather, the rear one &endash; is held in the left hand. The first joints of the second and third fingers are stationed at the side of the cards, while the first and little fingers lie curled up behind it (Fig. 4). The upper, or front packet, C, is held in the right hand in the position as shown in Fig. 4. The thumb is located above and the fingers below the cards, exposing as much of them as possible. Fig 5 Both packets are held in a perpendicular position, C, being turned towards the spectators. Under cover of C the packet B (which is slipped between the fingers of the left hand) is tilted downwards and passed around the front of and then placed on C. Fig. 5 illustrates the act of packet B passing around C. The two halves then occupy the position shown in Fig. 6. After you have understood the principle and purpose of the pass, you will be surprised how very useful it will prove in cases where the spectator, in a spirit of contrariness, refuses to have their attention diverted by the performer's patter and insists upon riveting their eyes upon the conjuror's hands. Fig 6 The best way to use this pass will be to have the selected card laid on packet B. C is then placed on B, its back being turned towards the spectators who keep their eye on the rear of the card. The pass is then made under cover of C as explained, the pack being turned face upwards during this operation, thus completely disguising the sleight. Another excellent use of this pass is to convince the spectators that the selected card is neither at the top, nor at the bottom of the pack. The card in this case starts in the top place. The regular double-handed pass is then made, bringing the card to the middle of the pack and leaving both packets in readiness for the Herrmann Pass. After exhibiting the top card (to show it isn't the selected card), the performer turns over the left hand, which holds the pack, and shows that the bottom card is not the chosen one either. In turning back the left hand into its original position, in which act it is assisted by the right, the Herrmann Pass is made and the desired card is thus brought once more to the top of the pack. Home | Card Tricks | Card Trick Skills | The Pass | The Force | Changes False Shuffling | The Glimpse | Card Palm | Card Sleights Copyright © 2003-2006 HowToDoCardTricks.com. All rights reserved worldwide.   You can quickly get a copy of every trick on this web site in a downloadable PDF book. That's over 40 classic card tricks to amaze and astound your friends, all stored on your computer to refer to at any time! Just click the link below to get your own copy today for just $5.