I HATE LECTURE NOTES

so here’s a few pages from my new book

explorations | 1
01 EXPLORATIONS
of sleight of hand by Biz
 Elli Bizau (Biz)
Explorations into Sleight of Hand Techniques

Edition of 200
IF THE BOOK SMELLS
2025 Elli Bizau
GOOD, BUY IT. 2025 This edition, Biz and Friends

Design by Biz and Friends

ISBN:

Published by Biz and Friends, Romania

Powered by You
Drawings and words by Elli Bizau

Printed in Bucharest, Romania at

Everest Print

Cover Design by Iveghes Andrei (OBIN)

bizandfriends.com
 don’t browse. explore.

12 37 58 72
contents
color changes palms pop outs misc

backpalm change instant palm flick pop the waterfall pass

the boring change automatic bottom palm airoh pop on the continuous lift shuffle
universal xchange automatic middle palm popdog waterfall displacement
vertical cardini automatic top palm instant pop out fair and square
the pepito change top card backpalm dribble pop
swing under change automatic cascade palm propop
zbrush no effort palm
clipflip tenky middle palm
dl change boxing palm
flipbrush transfer palm
and their variations

Reading List : David Blaine “Mysterious Stranger”

Alex Hansford “Often Rarely That Simple”
search and find Andreea Samoila “Length 01”
MUM Magazine 1977 Issues
annoying games for Ed Marlo “Revolutionary Card Techniques”
good magicians Henning Nelms “Magic and Showmanship”
fu*k this
secret room
collaborations
??? Summary: rip one of the corners of the card case and insert them
inside the case -> shake the box -> it will sound as if there is a
card inside : idea submitted by Matin
 COLO R
CHANGE
(S)
chapter 1
RIP YOUR TENDONS WITH THIS CHANGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
THIS WILL FOOL YOUR 6 YEAR OLD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
CHANGE ANY CARD INTO ANYTHING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
WTF CARDINI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
KOREAN MAGICIANS LOVED THIS CHANGE . . . . . . . . . . 34
POSSIBLY THE STUPPIDEST BEST CHANGE . . . . . . . . . . 28
BOB ROSS’S DIRTY PAINTBRUSH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
IF CLIPSHIFT HAD A BAD BITCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
SPANISH MAGICIANS GATHER HERE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
FLIPBRUSH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

12
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13
st Time: It took me a few good days to get the mechanic,
during which I practiced too much and got hand
cramps. Don’t be stupid like me. Take breaks. Do
it slow. It’s a challenging
the backpalm change move. Once you get a

BACKPALM
feel for it, it’ll become
easier and easier.

One card backpalmed (KH), one held at the

Credits: Bao Hoang showed me
fingertips (7D), slightly at an angle. something similar from one
of his friends, but very different
Imagine you backpalmed two cards and produced in method from mine. I have also
one - that’s the position you’re in. seen Olmac, the french
magician, perform color
The back of the 7D should touch the face of the KH
changes where he clips
(exactly at the pip). If you push with your thumb on
cards behind his hand,
the 7, you should feel the other card behind it.
but nothing like this.
It is, in my opinion,
Push down with your thumb, curl your pinky, ring
the cleanest backpalm
and middle fingers into a fist and bring the index up
change to date. But
from underneath the 7D and back down to clip 7D
there is always room
between index and middle finger (fig. 1-3).
for improvement.
Once you feel the 7D clipped, move your thumb on
the face of the KH (in preparation to produce it) and
extend your index and middle finger.

Grip the KH between your thumb and middle finger

while moving the 7D in the back by extending your
index and middle finger. Straighten the KH between
your fingers.

Open pinky and ring finger to show hand “empty”.

3 15 12 15 18 3 8 1 14 7 5 19 9 14 4 5 24

14 | explorations explorations | 15
BORING “People soon get tired of things
that aren’t boring, but not of
what is boring.”
- Haruki Murakami
Have a card face up somewhere
in the center and keep a break
underneath it. Let’s say it’s the 4 of
clubs.

Spread up until somewhere near

this card and have a card touched.
Turn it face up on the LH packet.
It’s the Ace of Spades.

Slightly pull the AS to the left

with your left thumb.

Pick up the AS, together with

everything over your pinky

CHA
break, with the spread from your
RH. Because the AS was slightly
moved to the left, it will cover the
packet from underneath, making

NGE
it look as if you only took the Ace.

B
Card face up on the
bottom.

Cut deck and hold pinky

underneath FU card.

Spread until you almost

reach FU card.

Flip another card FU on Slowly, turn your wrist count-

top of LH packet.

THE
er-clockwise and place the 4C
Take the whole packet on the table by pushing down
above the break with RH with the spread. This will
spread. push the cards so they end up
covering the AS, allowing you

o
Turn spread and place to turn the spread face down
force card on the table without flashing the Ace.

It should look as if you took the

AS and placed it down on the
Getting a card reversed in the center is quite
table. The spectator sees one
easy. All you have to do is reverse a card on
the bottom of the deck and then cut it in the
card face up and then one card
center, while holding a break underneath it. face down.

16 | explorations explorations | 17
 The Pepito Change Released in full with Bigblindmedia

Try These Out!

Summary: pinky break under 2 cards back to back -> grip gently the lower right
Deck is on the table. corner with right index underneath and thumb on top -> move forward and rotate
wrist to the left to create a change -> place on top of deck.
Get a break with your right
thumb over the bottom card.
Summary: hold tiny pinky break -> ask spectator to hold deck in Biddle Grip (show
Cut about half of the deck with
him how to hold the deck) -> spectator holds break for you (have fun with it.
your left hand and place it in
front of you.

In the motion of completing

the cut with your right hand, as
you are coming down with the
S F O R US
packet, release your grip on the
B I S CUIT
bottom card. The momentum
E N E W U R S OF
will shoot the card out. tly b e f o r e
SOM 3 65 H O
k et sligh and down G H T Y “
OR M
c
OU LITY
th e p a p
m ust lift ’s this small u
U S T B E O F Y A B I
p out , y o
ard po mpleting the
u
cut. I t
H A DJ T H E VID R A N DM
ake t h e c
co MO M L MIN G S LAT E
o r d er to m tom card and t.
1 3 . M Y AS F I Y E A R HIS
I n t
Note: o of the bo ts the card o u
I N 2 0 I L E I W M E . 1 2 G I V E T
g
letting ent that shoo E B ACK S I D E WH I G H T NA E R E TO
mo v e m
C H A N G
B Y M Y B L E SL E
O U . I F I W
O P O U T”.
LOR LYING MOR A HOW Y R OM P
I S C O E R E T M E M E S G E F
T E D TH H I C HW M Y M OS B L Y. LET B L E C HAN
CRE A ITO” W Y FAR S IDER A OF, “T A
“ P E P I L L B C O N L I N E S
CALLE
D
C T . I T ’S ST M P R O VED L O N G THE To do this, just slide your middle and
R O J E H A S I H I N G A
G I C ” P A M E S O M E T thumb finger on the sides of the deck
MA W ITH N L D BE S and it’ll happen naturally.
ME U P O U
TO CO T O D A Y, IT W I use this both as a switch and a color
If you want to challenge yourself, you
N A M E change. For this, you will need a card

E I G H T A to already be angle jogged on the first can hold 2 breaks with your thumb
SL packet. and perform a double change. You
just have to get used to letting go of
Place the card just like in the image. one card at a time. The maximum
I’ve seen many magicians over the years exagerate this movement by slamming Cut the deck. As you pop the card I’ve been able to pop out one after the
down the packet with force. This is not necessary. If you loosen your grip on the out, use your left hand fingers to other is 3 cards.
bottom card at the appropriate time, the card will pop out naturally. square the initial card into the deck.

34 | explorations explorations | 35
 Chapter Two

Palming
Instant Palm Automatic Bottom Palm Automatic Middle Palm Automatic
Top Palm Top Card Backpalm Automatic Cascade Palm No Effort Palm
Tenky Middle Palm Boxing Palm Transfer Palm And their variations

I grew up reading Marlo. I was 12 through pages of dull writing. I

and did not know where I could learn ended up trying to figure out the
magic from, nor could I afford to sleights based on the title (which
THIS PAGE WILL HELP YOU TRANSITION FROM THE COLORFUL buy magic books. After doing some was always super explicit), a few
research, I found someone was selling introductory lines and the images.
DESIGNS YOU HAVE BEEN ACCUSTOMED TO UNTIL NOW, TO A MORE DvDs with Magic releases and books
SOBRE AND OLD-SCHOOL DESIGN at just 20 bucks. This website was a If you’ve ever opened a Marlo book or
sort of Romanian Craigslist. any old book, you’ll know the images
aren’t always enough to be able to tell
I bought a few of these DvDs after the whole method behind the move.
begging my mom and proving to her I believe it was this way of learning
that I was dedicated to magic enough that gave my creativity a chance to
to make it worth her investment. flourish.

When the order came in the post As such, to pay respects to the way
office, I discovered I had ordered I grew up and learned palms from
bootleg dvds. I contacted the guy and Marlo, in the following pages you will
told him I was expecting these to be be greeted with the following: a
original. He laughed and said I was succint description of what happens,
naive (which I was). a summary of the method, a few
pointers and images drawn by yours
Within these DvDs there were a few truly.
L&L releases (World’s Greatest Etc.)
and a few books from Marlo. I printed I’ve decided to keep the old school
these books and proceeded to attempt look of those books magicians were
to read them. reading in the 20th century (that I
now own in original haha!) as I have
While my English was good enough always enjoyed their aesthetic and it is
to understand every word, my with what I grew up with (and most
patience was not prepared to drill likely many of us have). Cheers!
36 | explorations explorations | 37
 RIGHT ON KEY
By LIAM LEVANON INSTANT PALM or Sorry This Looks So Good in My Hands
The AMAZING NEW WAY in which you
never thought to use a key card!
Here’s a cool little trick that takes an interesting approach to a classic principle. I will be t Summary: pull top card at an angle with left pinky (Cardini Change motion) -> grip the left
he first one to admit this is not a “hard hitter”, but it uses one of my favorite psychological side of the 2nd card with your right index and base of thumb -> curl fingers inwards as you
techniques in magic, and for some weird reason it has fooled many magicians I have continue waving motion to palm card
showed this to.
top card wave palm
HERE’S WHAT HAPPENS
To begin we will have to learn the Top
The magician asks someone to choose any card, remember it, and loose it in
Card Wave Palm which will help us learn
the deck. the magician than take out from the deck one card that “feels right”.
the Instant Palm much quicker. Turn a
Unfortunately, that card is the wrong one, but before the magician starts to cry,
card face up on top of the deck. As you
he decides to give it another shot (quite literally). He takes the wrong card and
wave your hand over the packet, grip the
throws it (like a sad ninja) into the deck. Amazingly, the wrong card ends up
left side of the card between the base of
just next to the chosen card. Hurray!
your thumb and index finger. Curl your
fingers inwards to palm the card.
I have never been a fan of tricks in which the method is more interesting than the trick itself,
but unfortunately that’s the case with this one. I wanted to share this effect with all of you If the left hand sits stationary, it will look
because it manages to reverse the classic “key card” principle, to use it un a refreshing way. I as if you’re picking up the card in your
hope that you will take that idea and create a much stronger effect with it. right hand. We’re doing exactly that, but
we don’t want it to look like that. We
After shuffling the deck, you need to memorize the bottom card (let’s use the 9 of diamonds want it to look like the card vanishes as
as an example). you can easily glimpse it by turning the card in you hands to “square them we wave our hand over it. To achieve this
up”. Let your spectator choose a card and memorize it. To place the card back in the deck, illusion, move your left hand in tandem
start dropping card on the table and ask your spectator to call out “stop!”. when he does, ask with your righ as you palm the card.
him to put his card on top of the pile, and immediately dribble the rest of the deck on top
of his card. By doing so, you put your key card right above the selected card. I always try to
place the card around the center of the deck, you will see why in a minute. instant palm

Now we will learn how to palm the

So far we hade done the classic “key card” procedure, but now comes the fun part. You can
second card from the top in a similar
give the deck some false shuffle now if you wish, but after that you will spread the cards and
motion, using the exact same technique.
try to take out the right card. In reality, you are trying to take any card but the selected card
In order to gain access to the second card,
or the key card. It’s pretty easy to do since you know approximately where the chosen card
we must move the top card slightly out
was placed (near the middle, remember?)
of the way. To do this, squeeze the deck
between your thumb and middle finger
Build up some tension by concentrating your incredible psychic powers, and take one
and pull with your pinky the top card at
card out from the spread. You will now look at it and miscall it for your key card (“Was
an angle. The pulp of your left thumb
your card the 9 of diamonds?”). The miscall is one of my favorite techniques in magic and
stops the top card from popping up just
mentalism, and if you do it well, no one will question the fact you are holding that card
like in a “Cardini Change”. After stealing
(remember - they don’t have a reason to question it). Something that helps me miscall
the card, relax your left hand and the top
more comfortably is to try and convince myself that i am holding the miscalled card (in
card will return to normal. With time,
our example, the 9 of diamonds). When I look at the card I
you’ll be able to steal the 2nd card while
don’t even let its identity resonate, i just see the key card. CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE
barely just moving the top card.
38
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explorations explorations
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39
 from the center
Summary: card injogged in the center -> wave R.H. over deck | use left pinky to kick
AUTOMATIC BOTTOM PALM
card at an angle to the left side of the deck (covered by R.H.) -> grip left side of card
with right index and base of thumb -> continue waving motion | fully palm card Summary: pinky break over bottom card -> perform a Swing Cut -> as you move your
left hand away with the top packet, the bottom card from your right hand packet stays
in the left palm -> complete cut

Having a break over the bottom card is actually not necessary (but it helps a lot).
After you swing cut the deck and the bottom packet touches the palm of your left
hand, allow the packet to slide on your open palm and the bottom card will just
stay there. A gentle right hand grip on the bottom packet is necessary for this to
happen automatically.

It’s important here to move the base of your thumb out of the way without letting
go of the deck. This happens naturally once you move your left pinky on the
corner of the selection and push it leftwards at an angle. The card should pop out
both at the side and at the top, allowing you to grip it with your right hand akin
to the Instant Palm which we previously learned. Of course, in order to make it
look smooth, move your left hand in the same direction with your right during
the steal.

applications

I have the selection face up on top of the deck and ask the spectator to hold out
CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
their hand. I then palm the second card, which is face down, drop it on top of
their selection while I pretend to palm it in my hand and proceed to place an
They will obviously say that it is not Now you can ask the spectator
invisible card in the spectator’s awaiting hand. I have been doing this constantly
their card. Act disappointed, but then what was the actual card, and
for the past 10 years and it always gets a great reaction.
come up with the idea of finding it using when you will spread the deck
the card you are holding. You will now face up, it will be just
By gripping more cards with your
throw the card into the deck (i do that next to the card you
right index, you can palm multiple
by riffling the deck with my left hand threw! (or so
cards and produce a whole fan
and using the (dan and dave throwing they will think).
afterwards. A thing I love to
move) I shoot the card into deck.
perform for magicians is to palm
about 20 cards, drop them on top of
Again, you must make sure you are not
the deck where their card lies face
aiming near the actual selected card or
up and then proceed to show that
the key card! If you accidentally throw it
their card is now in the center,
between them the effect will not work.
next to another selection. It’s the
Luckily for us, it is easy to avoid, just
revelation that always gets to them.
aim far from the approximate position
of the chosen card. Square the card into
the deck.

40||explorations
40 explorations explorations||41
explorations 41
 ur b
Chapter 3
let’s forget everything else

o
there is nothing more visual and pleasing to the eye than a popout

7 Y

P
i used to think pop outs were the coolest thing

Eli ov Bizau
let’s forget everything else

SHOOT OUT S
nrael esle gnihtyreve tegrof s’tel
emocrevo tegrof s’tel
tpada
sa
y Bi
srewofl fo hctab

z
lla ti tegrof

o 60
62
64
68
op
uts
<< The Eyecandy Shit >>

flick pop
airoh pop
popdog
sleights
bCardici n
a
One of my fondest memories of filming a pop out is
from back in 2012 when I met up with Alex Pandrea
to film Pop Fly and Blind Square for his company
The Blue Crown. Alex and his friend Simion had this
really creative idea of using cigarette
smoke to form a cloud on the coffee table
and have me pop the card directly
in it as the camera zooms on the smoke.

We got the shot. If you search for the Popfly trailer, you’ll see it in all of
its glory. I have to say it really was a nice idea and I’m happy we shot it.
The whole bit speaks of Alex’s and Simion’s dedication to the release.
The only bit they probably didn’t think about was just how many shots
it would take me. Each shot meant a new cigarette drag so a new cloud
could be formed. I am happy to inform you that it only took eleven
cigarettes. Eleven. You should have seen the two of them when we finally
got the shot. I don’t think either were very happy about having had

OUpiD
instant pop out the idea.
70 in the hands dribble pop
72 propop
ABCDEFGHIJKLMN abcdefghijklmn
OPQRSȘTȚUVWXYZ opqr sștțuvwxyz
012345677789 (£§.,?!)

card m agic is
58 | explorations explorations | 59
 explorations...
explroations...

flick pop.
explortaions...
exploratinos...
explroations...
through. If you keep the deck
Summary: selection in-jogged half an inch in the center -> flick it for- slightly tilted, the in-jog will be hidden.
ward with your RH middle finger (it will hurt) :: card pops halfway out Flick the card forward to make it pop.
of the deck. Sometimes the top card will pop as well
flf
ili if you don’t control the flick. So, flick
pop flick
flick
pop flick
pop pop pop
flickflick
flick
pop pop
flick pop pop ckck
flick with caution.

poppoppop
flick
flick
pop flick
flick
flickflick
pop pop
popflick
pop pop flick pop
pop pop

pop
pop
I came up with this pop back in 2016. I remember thinking, “Nobody’s going to

flick
flick

hit the side of the deck and hurt their nail for a mere pop.” I am still to

flick
find someone that is courageous enough to attempt this feat and go through b
flick

from the bottom.

flick
flick pop
the horrendous finger pain necessary to make this card pop out. If
fl
you are to attempt this, be aware. more visual.

flick pop

Q
ic
k
flick pop
pflick
op flick
popflick
popflick
pop
flick
flick
poppoppop flick
flick
pop pop
popflick
flickflick
flick
pop pop flick
flickflick
pop
flick pop
flick
pop
pop
flick
pop
pop pop
flick pop This was created during my year long
flick pop
challenge of coming up with a new trick

d
or sleight every day. Upon teaching it to
other magicians, I discovered the simple
from the middle. method (and instant visual) makes it
very attractive.
Selection is in-jogged about an inch
somewhere in the center. explanation

Hold the deck by the left and right side with Selection is on the bottom.
your left hand fingers in a relaxed manner.
In-jog selection about half an inch. I
Flick the card with your R.H. middle finger do this by getting a pinky break above
to make it pop forwards out of the deck. A the card and moving the whole deck
powerful enough flick is necessary for the forward, then letting go of the break.
card to pop out a decent amount in order
for this to be a visual feat (and not just a We now need to create a gap between
sorry attempt at one). our hand and the deck. We do this by
lifting our hand slightly then lowering
If you find the card does not pop enough, it abruptly. It is in this moment when
move it higher up in the deck. our hand is lower than the deck that we
flick the bottom card forward with our
Mention: You can use this as a color change right middle finger. And because there
as well by flicking a card on top of an is nothing standing in it’s way, the card
already out-jogged one. will shoot forward (quite generously
sometimes).
From a Marlo Tilt: You can use the same
mechanic and pop the card that is second
from the top. Place the selection inside the
break and pretend to square it all the way

60 | explorations explorations | 61
 andthensome

some magicians

get stronger

I feel like I always have to publish a book

at when I have my heart broken. Or decide
to take magic more seriously once I’ve
gathered myself up. Or maybe it’s the
other way around - it’s making that
the cracks. actually helps me put myself together.

Have you ever dated someone that did

magic? It’s so rare for me to meet a couple
where both parties practice this artform.
I’d like to date a magician once. See how
others it feels, you know. See how my ex’s felt.

I dedicate this book to my mom and dad.

They tried their best and it’s what I could
have ever hoped for from two parents. In
Eastern Europe you get tough love and if
break... you survive it, you have high chances of
becoming a very empathic human being.

ellaneous So, as a second thing, here’s to all my

Eastern European brothers. To all those
not born in countries where theres tons
of magicians, to those of you who had to
pirate magic or learn it off Youtube due
60 the waterfall pass to lack of funds (a.k.a. being poor), to all
those of you that against all odds, you
62 on the continuous lift shuffle somehow still stuck with magic and
magic stuck to you. Să trăiți fraților !
waterfall displacement
Now let’s learn some cool shit.
fair and square

74 | explorations explorations | 75
 explorations explorations

Pinky break in the center over the

selection.

Angle-jog the top packet using your

left pinky. This is done by moving your
pinky so the left part of the finger
touches the inside edge of the packet
and then extending your pinky for-
ward.

Grip the bottom packet with your

right hand in preparation to execute a
Cascade. Reposition your left hand in
2018 control
preparation to receive the cards.
the waterfall pass
As you start cascading cards from your
right hand, the top part of the deck
Here is a method to execute a will remain in your left hand. At this
pass under the guise of doing point you are cascading cards unto the
a Cascade. bottom of the deck. In order to control
the selection to the top, we must begin
cascading them... well, obviously to the
top.

Stop cascading and ask the spectator

if that is their selection. I usually do this
when I am halfway through my packet.
This give me the opportunity to use my
left fingers to kick the cards in my hand
inwards so that I can waterfall the rest
of the deck on top.

The same method can be applied to

controlling multiple cards to the top.

Punch a magician in the face if he’s trying to convince you that his bad handling of a
sleight doesn’t matter cause the spectator won’t see it anyway.
76 | explorations explorations | 77
 to every magician out there
that has been banned
by Justin Miller

98 | explorations explorations | 99
 THE
disclaimer

WORST
MAGIC BOOK
FOR a
BEGINNER if you’re a beginner, buy Tarbell or BFU

Books by
bizandfriends.com
100 | explorations