The Pass

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The Pass is an example of sleight of hand, and is employed by a magician to gain control of a card which has been chosen by a spectator and, seemingly, placed randomly in the deck. The pass is an example of card control. Despite the seemingly fair conditions, the performer is able to control the card position for subsequent use in any number of effects: this move forms the basis of many "take a card" tricks.

1 Explanation and Technique
2 Variants of The Pass
3 Footnotes
4 References

[edit] Explanation and Technique

The Pass is essentially a quick, almost invisible, cut which brings a selected card to the top of the deck when it has apparently been lost in the center.

In a typical scenario a card is selected by the spectator and the performer separates the deck into two halves by spreading the cards and splitting them in the center, then directing the spectator to place the selected card onto the lower half in the left hand.

The performer then replaces the top half onto the lower half in the left hand apparently losing the card in the center but secretly holding a break between the two packs with the left little finger. The left thumb should rest along the left side of the deck with the left first second and third fingers curled around the right side of the deck at the first joint. This break may be held for some time as the performer patters but usually the sleight continues almost immediately.

In one motion the right hand then grasps the bottom pack with the thumb at the rear end of the pack and the first and second fingers grasping the front of the bottom pack. At the same moment the left fingers draw the top pack towards the right in the tilting motion which quickly reverse the halves of the deck bringing the bottom half to the top and the selected card to the top of the deck. A slight rocking motion of the hands can add in covering this movement.^[1] If executed smoothly this action can be almost undetectable.

With the card controlled to the top of the deck the performer is now aware of its location and free to reveal it any manner they see fit. This has made the sleight invaluable in many card effects. In The Ambitious card for instance a selected card is repeatedly 'lost' in the center of the deck only to rise to the top.

The variant is known as The Shift, The Classic Pass, or simply The Pass.

[edit] Variants of The Pass

Many versions of The Pass exist, some created to simplify the sleight, others to meet a specific performing criteria.

The One-Handed Pass is probably the easiest and should be practiced first by beginners.

The Herrman pass is probably the most used and well known variation.

The Revolving Pass or Half Pass is an easier to master sleight in which the halves of the deck are openly switched under cover of a card flourish.

The Riffle Pass covers the action of switching the halves under cover of riffling the cards with the fingers.

Other passes include The Charlier Pass, The Dribble Pass, The Longitudinal Shift, The Jog Pass, The Braue Pass, The Invisible Turnover Pass and The Zingone Pass.