Elmsley count explained away

Originally named the Ghost Count by Alex Elmsley in Elmsley's The Four Card Trick (), it is a false count with a packet of four cards designed to hide one card.

The Elmsley Count is probably one of the most popular card sleights created.

It can be used to hide an upside down card, a different color card or a special gimmicked card. It has been used in routines to make a card appear, vanish, or change.

After the count, it usually leaves the cards in perfect order to do a Jordan Count.

The biggest flaw most magicians tend to make is to incorrectly interpret the action as an actual count, probably due to the name.

Elmsley count explained away youtube

You normally should treat it as a display, not as a literal counting of the cards.

There are two typical "grips" used when performing, the finger-tip to finger-tip and the mechanic grip. Each has it's usefulness depending on the card routine you are performing.

Handlings and Variations

• Five-as-five Ghost Count by Elmsley which combines this Gh