Here's one from the Archives! Enjoy!
CARDS AS WEAPONS by Jon Wedd
How it all began...
A few years ago I was browsing through the magic section at Borders Book Store, when I stumbled upon an oddly titled book that would eventually change my life and the history of the entire world. It was Cards as Weapons, by Ricky Jay. At first I thought it was a joke, but then I began to flip through the pages. I saw photos showing the proper way to grip the card and chapters on training exercises to improve distance and accuracy, I knew that this was the real deal. I bought the book and within hours I was cracking cards against the wall of my room, within days I could already hit the furthest walls in my house. I decided that this skill was so great that I could not keep it to myself. My life now had a purpose- Spread the Joy and Confidence that comes from throwing cards.
How to Throw Cards
The Grip:
Before throwing a card it is necessary to acquire the proper grip. There are
actually a few that work quite well.
In the following verbal descriptions of how to hold the card, it is assumed that
the thrower is right handed. Also, the corners and sides are labeled with the
card being held so the number and suit are in the Northwest corner, thus the top
of the card is North. The method which seems to be the easiest for beginners is
the
The next method, the "Barney Tanenflik" (named in honor of Barney Tan), is quite similar to the last, in that the card is gripped between the tips of the pointer and middle fingers. The main difference is that the finger tips squeeze the northwest corner. The northeast corner contacts the palm just below the fingers, and the right edge of the card runs down along the palm.
The final method which will be discussed is the "Jay Grip" (which was developed, and used by Ricky Jay). It is the method I use the most often (except for behind the back shots) and I feel I have a lot more control with it. For some reason however, a lot of my friends have trouble with this method. First put the the fleshy part of the index finger on the Northeast corner of the card. Then, with the thumb and middle finger, squeeze the card a little above and to the right of the center. Make sure the card is twisted back so that the southeast corner touches the palm of the hand. |
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The Throw:
The basic way to throw a card is much like a Frisbee, but it is important to
have a very quick flick of the wrist, the arm is not really important. If your
card just flutters, it is most likely because the card is not spinning, meaning
that you are giving it too much arm and not enough wrist. To fix this problem,
hold your throwing arm still and attempt to toss cards using just a flick of the
wrist, you will see them spin and fly a few feet. Then slowly work in the swing
of the arm, not forgetting the quick flick of the wrist. Also, be sure to start
with your hand all the way twisted back, so the top of the card points directly
at you.
Once this method is mastered, you may wish to move on to the advanced method, or
"YATZ!" (pronounced like yahtzee, without the "ee"). This method
is more like a baseball pitch. The hand starts over the right shoulder and comes
down and outward. Be sure not to twist the wrist at all during this motion, and
the quick flick of the wrist is very important. Also, stepping in with the
opposite leg gives an extra boost. (A picture of the
starting position)
Note: soon there will be more pictures to easily illustrate the different grips and throwing techniques.
Tricks
These are some of the things that I can do with ordinary playing cards:
-
Card through newspaper (up to 3 sheets the card flies right through, 5 sheets I can pierce through and the card sticks in)
-
Card over house (over the roof of two story houses)
-
Behind the back toss (I can put cards onto 1 story roofs this way)
-
Card slap (card is given a slight toss, with a lot of spin, and then smacked by the finger tips, sending it flying) Card kick (like card slap, but with foot. Very difficult)
-
Card into Pear (I can't quite do melons yet, but it's a start)
-
Card on to HIGH roof (so far, the BonTon at the mall is my highest. Gymnasiums are good too)
-
Boomerang card (goes up and out a few feet, then returns to my hand)
-
Card from one basket to the other (I can through the entire length of a basket ball court. I have yet to sink any from downtown though)
-
Card across big gap (the mall has a large gap where kids can spit over the edge at the people on the floor below, I throw cards across it)
-
Card through 7 layers of skin (my friends can also do this one, which is quite evident in our bloody card battles)
CARD BATTLES
We used to have big battles at my house. We got a bunch of people at each end of my living room. Each end has its own basket of cards, but before too long, the cards are all over the floor. We throw back and forth at each other, usually aiming for the face. When the shirts come off it gets really rough. It stings a lot more, also cuts and welts become much more common place. Sometimes we pick up the cards afterwards, but they usually just litter the floor for a few days before my mom forces me to pick 'em up. There is constant evidence of the battles all over the walls. Cards stick in to all the little cracks and crevices, so we leave them up as decorations.
Now, I live in a dorm room, so there isn't as much room for good battles. However, I've taught most of the kids on my floor how to throw, and we occasionally wreak havoc in the hallway.
The Professionals
Ricky Jay is in my opinion the greatest card thrower of all time. He used to have the world record for distance (198 ft.), and he remains as the only person I've ever seen throw a card in to a watermelon. Right now, the Guinness Book of World Records lists Jim Carol as the new champ, with a throw of 201 ft. That blows away my throws that barely break the 100 ft. mark. There is also Jeff McBride who I once saw on one of those World's Greatest Magic shows, and he was throwing cards in to the audience with a side-arm method that I am unfamiliar with, and he was very good at making them bounce off the stage and soar in to the audience.
The Book
Sadly, the book is currently "Out of print". What does this mean? It means that they've stopped making the book, so it is nearly impossible to find anywhere. I was lucky enough to just find it sitting on a shelf in a Borders Book Store. Since then, however, I've never seen another copy. One of the most Frequently asked questions I get is: "Where can I get 'Cards As Weapons'?" I always recommend checking used book stores, magic shops, and libraries.
Something recently brought to my
attention is that
Amazon.com will try to find out of print books for you.
UPDATE: Crum1385 recently was able to get a copy of the book through
Amazon.com !!
Click here (and then click on the "Add to shopping cart" button) to attempt
to order "Cards as Weapons" from them. I'm a member of the associates program,
so when you order something (other than out of print books) I get a small
percentage, at no extra cost to you. I only make money if you go to their page
from one of my links above, and then buy something. So far I've made $1.12.
(Thank you to whoever it was who bought "Now you See it Now You Don't" and
"Expert Card Technique")
Here's another On-Line Bookstore, Powell's, that claims to have "Cards as Weapons." However, I think they only have like one copy. Click here to get it. Also, they will search for it for you( I think the search fee is only $2 ).
There may be another way. If we would all write to Warner Books (The Publisher) and let them know that there is an audience, or at least a cult following, then they might actually begin reprinting the book.
If liked this and want a little more, info can be seen HERE
