Part one of the acclaimed course on sleight-of-hand card magic. Roberto Giobbi's course has received acclaim from amateur and professional magicians alike. Giobbi has selected only the best sleights and handlings from thousands of books on the subject. The book is written both as a course for the beginning student and a retraining course for the experienced card magician who has likely picked up bad habits and inferior techniques during previous study.

The Art of Performing Magic With Cards
A Brief History of Playing Cards
Instruments and Tools

Chapter 1: Fundamental Techniques
Dealing Position
The End Grip
Elevated Dealing Position
Squaring the Deck
The All-around Square-up
Giving the Deck a Complete Cut
Spreading the Cards in the Hands
Outjogging Cards As They Are Spread Between the Hands
Dribbling Cards
Dealing Cards
Dealing Cards Face Down-The Draw Method
Dealing Cards Face Up-The Stud Method
The Swing Cut
The Break
The Little-Finger Break
Forming a Little Finger Break Under the Top Card- Two-Handed Method
Forming a Little Finger Break Under the Top Card- One-Handed Method
Forming a Little Finger Break Under Multiple Cards
The Thumb Break
The Step
The Riffle
The Ribbon Spread

Chapter 2: The Overhand Shuffle Techniques, Part 1
The Overhand Shuffle
Running Single Cards
Control of the Top and Bottom Cards
Controlling the Top Stock of the Deck-The Injog Shuffle
Controlling the Bottom Stock
Tricks with the Overhand Shuffle:
Thought Stealer
The Spectator Cuts the Aces

Chapter 3: False Cut Techniques, Part 1
An Optical False Cut from the Hand
The False Swing Cut
A Simple False Cut
A Triple False Cut
The Slip Cut from Dealing Position
Tricks With False Cuts:
Hat Trick
Court Card Conclave

Chapter 4: Card Controls
The Overhand Shuffle Control
The "Whoops!" Control
The Diagonal Insertion
The Peek Control
The Post-peek Overhand Shuffle Control
A Peek Control for Two Cards
The Multiple Peek Control
The One-Card Middle Pass
Other Controls
Tricks with Card Controls:
The Shamus Card
The Question Is...

Chapter 5: Force Techniques, Part 1
The Crisscross Force
The Balducci Force
The Goldin Force
The Ten-to-Twenty Force
A Trick with the Force:
The Lie Detector

Chapter 6: Transfer Cuts
The Double Cut
The Triple Cut From Top To Bottom
The Triple Cut From Bottom to Top
Tricks with Transfer Cuts:
Triple Coincidence
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son

Chapter 7: Riffle Shuffle Techniques
The Closed Riffle Shuffle
Squaring After the Riffle Shuffle
The Open Riffle Shuffle
Riffle Shuffle Stock Controls
Control of the Top Stock
Control of the Bottom Stock
The Waterfall Riffle Shuffle
Tricks with Riffle Shuffle Techniques:
The Red-black Location
Royal Flush Finale

Chapter 8: The Glide
Tricks with the Glide:
The Acrobat Family
The Coue' Test

Chapter 9: The Double Lift, Part 1
A Double Lift
A Double Turnover
Tricks with a Double Lift:
Rise and Swap
A Card in Hand

Chapter 10: The Key Card
Key Card Placement
The Key Card in a Ribbon Spread
Glimpse and Placement
Location, Identification and Control with a Key Card
Control in a Hand-to-Hand Spread
Tabled Ribbon Spread Control
Further Thoughts on the Key Card
Shuffling with a Key Card
Letting the Spectator Shuffle with a Key Card
Tricks with a Key Card:
A Phenomenal Memory
Your Number-Your Card
Thot Echo

Chapter 11: Hindu Shuffle Techniques
The Hindu Shuffle
Placing a Key Card with a Hindu Shuffle
Glimpsing the Bottom Card with a Hindu Shuffle
The Hindu Shuffle Force
Hindu Shuffle Card Control
Controlling a Single Card
Controlling Multiple Cards
Tricks with the Hindu Shuffle:
The Magus Card
The Lucky Card

Chapter 12: Flourishes, Part 1
Turning Over the Top Card 1
Turning Over the Top Card 2
Turning Over the Top Card 3
The Charlier Cut
The Swivel Cut
The Boomerang Card
The Spring Riffle Shuffle
Jack Merlin's Riffle Shuffle
The Pop-up Card
The Wind-up Gag
The Two-handed Fan
The Broad One-Handed Fan
The Reverse One-Handed Fan
The Ribbon Spread Turnover

Chapter 13: Spread Cull Techniques
The Spread Cull
The Under- the-spread Force
Tricks with the Spread Cull:
The Magic Phone Number
As You Like It

Chapter 14: Useful Auxiliary Sleights
Thumb Counting
The Little Finger Count
The Secret Addition of Cards
The Braue Addition
The Tip-over Addition
ATFUS
The Single, Double, and Multiple Push-over
Buckling One or More Cards

Chapter 15: Force Techniques, Part 2
The Classic Force
Technique, Handling, and Structure
The Psychological Management of the Spectators
The Inner Game of the Performer
How to Practice the Classic Force
Outs
Direct Methods
Indirect Methods
Final Observations
The Riffle Force
More Tricks with the Force:
The Jumping Pulse
Headliner!

Chapter 16: The Top Change
The Top Change
Top Change Covers
The Top Change as an Out for the Classic Force
Tricks with the Top Change:
Metamorphosis
The Lucky Coin
Blibliographic Notes
Index