The “Matrix” is a breathtaking and visual routine. Four coins, placed in a square layout on your close-up pad and each covered with a card, magically assemble one at a time under the same card. The flight of the coins, as they disappear and reappear, looks as close to real magic as it gets. Best of all, you start and finish COMPLETELY CLEAN with just four regular cards and coins.
The basic handling of this routine owes much to the genius of Al Schneider, whose original concept revolutionized the coin assembly effect – eliminating the need for difficult sleight of hand or gaffed coins and/or cards.
Now it’s time to pull out your close-up pad and get to work!
Requirements
You’ll require four coins, four cards and a non-slip close-up pad. The coins you use are up to you. I would recommend coins similar in size to US or Canadian quarters, UK 10-pence coins, etc. You’ll find they work well and are just the right size and weight. If you like, you can even borrow the cards and coins from your audience. The close-up pad is important for a number of the reasons, not the least of which, it will facilitate your ability to grip the coins with the cards.
Learning the routine
In order to make this routine easier to learn and understand, it’s divided into two distinct phases. The first phase, “DEALING THE CARDS,” takes us from the preliminary positioning of the coins on your close-up pad through to covering each with a playing card. The second phase of the routine, “FLIGHT OF THE COINS,” deals with the movement of the coins as they magically travel, one at a time, to assemble under a single card.
Note: All instructions are described from YOUR perspective, NOT the audience’s view.
PHASE I - DEALING THE CARDS
What your audience should see
At the beginning of the effect, each coin is simply covered with a playing card. As far as your audience is concerned, that’s “all” there is to the sequence of moves you are about to learn in Phase I. They are not difficult, but they do require practice. Rehearse them until you can perform them smoothly and without pretense. Therein lays the key to the success of this effect.
You have a tremendous advantage here, because as far as your audience is concerned, “THE TRICK HASN’T STARTED YET!” So don’t hurry or alert them to the fact that you are “doing” something. Phase I should appear to your audience as if you are just covering up each coin with a card.
What you are really doing
Now for the real work: In reality, what you are doing when dealing the cards is tealing the first coin and adding it to the second. This sets things up for the “one-ahead” principle that forms the basis of this routine. The third and fourth coins are actually covered up (without any subterfuge) as they appear to be.
So with cards In hand and coins positioned as shown in Photo 1, let’s proceed. At the beginning of the routine, you should be holding four cards, squared up and face down in your left hand in the dealing position.
Now, one point that bears attention, the cards are not dealt off in a conventional manner, but rather the right hand takes a card and the left hand hold-ing the remaining cards “moves.” In this way, the coins are masked from view as they are covered.
This is important, because as you cover the first coin, see Photo 2, the edge of your left first finger is going to engage the coin and slide it backward to join the second coin. During this process, the backside of your left hand drags across the pad covering the steal. Photo 3 shows the position of your hand at the completion of this move.
Next, place the second card down to cover up both coins as shown in Photo 4. Remember, the right hand with its card remains stationary, while the left hand holding the rest of the cards moves. Photo 4a shows an exposed view of the two coins now both under the lower left hand card.
After placing the first two cards down, the third and fourth cards are dealt in the same manner – except the remaining coins are actually covered up this time without altering their position. No coin is stolen. See Photos 5 & 6
It is important that you perform the sequence just described in one smooth, flowing action with the cards placed down in the same “natural” manner for each coin as described. In addition, as previously mentioned, your audience should have no inclination that the trick has even started yet. Remember, from their standpoint, you have simply covered up each coin with a card.
Again, practice these moves until you can perform them confidently and without hesitation. You are now ready to start learning Phase II.
PHASE II - FLIGHT OF THE COINS
Phase II begins by turning the two lower cards horizontally as shown in Photo 7. Now you are going to show one coin under each of these cards, even though you actually have two coins under the left hand card.
GRIPPING THE CARDS
Here is how it’s done. Grip each card with the thumb at the back long edge and your second finger at the front long edge. Note, your first finger rests on the back of the card closer to the thumb, as shown in Photo 8.
SHOWING ONE COIN UNDER EACH CARD
Now, lifting each card only slightly, slide both forward until your left thumb encounters the edge of the coin. As soon as it does, apply pressure with the first finger of your left hand – gripping the coin through the card in between it and the left thumb.
Now lift “both cards” upward and back to show a single coin under each card as shown in Photo 9. In reality, your left hand clips the extra coin against the back of the card. Photo 9a shows an exposed view of this. Pause for a moment, showing the coins and then replace the cards on top of their respective coins.
FLIGHT OF THE FIRST COIN
Next, you are going to cause the coin under the right card to join the one at left. You do this by using the same basic pick-up move we just learned with your right hand – only this time you are going to “snap” each card for effect.Grip the cards, once again as shown in Photo 8, and slide both forward until your “right” thumb encounters the edge of the single coin. Now, apply pressure with your right first finger gripping it through the card just as before. The only thing you are going to do differently this time is release the grip of your second finger, snapping the cards, as you lift them upward and back. You perform this snapping action simultaneously with both cards (except the left hand does not grip any coin this time – it simply exposes the two coins already there). Photo 10 shows the audience’s view at the completion of these moves – the right coin has joined the one at left. Photo 10a shows an exposed view the right hand card and concealed coin. Due to retained vision and the snapping of the cards, the visual impact of this sequence of moves is incredible. Your audience will believe they “see” the magical flight of the coin – as it travels from one position to the other. This impact is further enhanced by the natural rhythm and pacing of the moves - as the coins are first uncovered, briefly re-covered, and then, uncovered with a snap to reveal the transposition of the coins.
TRANSFERRING THE GRIP
At the end of the preceding sequence of moves you are holding the cards as shown in Photo 10 with the right thumb clipping a coin against the card as shown in Photo 10a (exposed view). The next step is to transfer the grip of the coin, so it can be added to the two coins now at your left. Do this by placing your second finger behind the card to replace the grip of your thumb, which now moves above the card as it pivots to the left and parallel with your close-up pad. The card with the coin gripped underneath should now look as shown in Photo 11.
At the same time you are shifting the grip of the coin and card in your right hand, our left hand shifts the grip of its card in the same manner. See Photo 12. Now, bring the two cards together as shown in Photo 13 – sliding the right hand card on top and the coin underneath the left hand card where you exchange the grip to the left second finger. Photo 13a shows an exposed view of the transfer taking place.
The right hand now moves away for a moment and then returns to take the top card, turning it face up and then discarding it to your right. Take a moment to reposition the two coins “in view” with your right hand, so they are side by side. This will ensure you are able to lay down the card and concealed third coin without them “talking” and thus, alerting your audience to the fact that you’ve secretly added a
coin. See Photo 14.
You’re now going to lay down the card in your left hand with the coin. Before you do so, move your left second finger under the card to help hold the concealed coin – only your thumb is on top at this point. Place the card and coin down. See Photo
15.
FLIGHT OF THE SECOND COIN
With three coins now under the lower left hand card, we are still “one-ahead” for the flight of the next coin. Turn the upper right hand card and lower left hand cards to a horizontal position as shown in Photo 16. You are now going repeat the same sequence
of moves just described for the “FLIGHT OF THE FIRST COIN.” Only this time, you are going to show one coin under the upper right hand card and two under the lower left hand card, see Photo 17. Again, your left hand conceals the extra coin behind its card, as shown in Photo 9a. Cover the coins with the cards. Slide both forward until your “right” thumb encounters the edge of the single coin. Now, apply pressure with your
right first finger gripping it through the card just as before. Snap the cards, as you lift them upward and back – showing that the second coin has made the flight across. See Photo 18. Again, the right hand card now conceals a coin as shown in Photo 10a. Follow the same actions for “TRANSFERRING THE GRIP” as shown in Photos
11 - 15. At the conclusion of this process, you will have secretly added the fourth coin under the lower right hand card.
FLIGHT OF THE LAST COIN
At this point in the routine, when the audience’s scrutiny is at its highest, all of the “dirty work” is done. So build it up with showmanship. Personally, I like to have someone place their hand on edge between the remaining two cards to reinforce the
fact that I am not “flipping” or “shooting” the coins across. Illustrate how you want the spectator to place his or her hand between the cards, Photo 19. Make it clear that the person’s hand should provide a barrier between the cards. Since you cannot show a coin under the upper left hand card, for the flight of the third and final coin
the coins are not uncovered this time. You simply snap the cards as you pull them upward and back showing all four coins now under the lower left hand card. See Photo 20.
Please note, this time, the cards are not turned horizontally - but rather left vertical. You are now completely clean and all may be examined, if you
like. Well, that’s all there is to it. Practice this routine well and you will have one of the most impressive and visual effects in the entire realm of coin magic
at your fingertips.
Good Luck!
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