In the second issue of The Bat Magazine from 1943 there’s a packet trick called Ah Nertz. Packet tricks didn’t really exist at that point, there were things like 3 card montes or tricks with the four aces, but nothing like post 1960’s packet tricks.
Here’s Ah Nertz as written:
If you think about the effect, this is an early version of twisting the aces.
I wanted to update the trick with a few modern moves, so here’s what I came up with:
One thing that the original lacked was showing all the cards going the same way. To do that I added a modified DM Move/2 for 4 Count. I also wanted a reveal of the one the upside down cards, but where you see all of the cards. That was accomplished with an Elmsley Count.
Here’s a walk through of the updated version of Ah Nertz:
What I think is interesting is that in theory you could theme the trick very easily with customizing the last card. It could be a trade show trick, “all the options for buying X got your head spinning…”. Or a story could easily be attached to it, like a kid who always felt different. Then the reveal on the final card ties it all together!
I think this trick’s premise is one of the hidden gems in The Bat magazine!
-Louie