The Hotel Manager and the Bellhop Card Trick

Comments:

Moreso than most other card tricks, this effect is probably 95% presentation -- this trick has the potential to be either the most or least impressive thing your audience has ever seen.

...provided they don't get out much, of course.

This is the barebones version of the trick, as I was taught it. I heartily recommend you make it your own, changing it as you see fit.

It's worthwhile skimming the Preparation section below before reading through this section -- it'll help you to understand how the trick works (specifically, the bellhop-in-his-car parts).

Effect:

The performer produces a deck of cards and proceeds to tell an involved and (relatively) humourous story using all 52 cards.

Details:

Fan through the deck, looking for the Three of Spades and Three of Clubs, giving the impression that the deck is unsorted. Place these cards face up on the table. The Three of Spades is the hotel manager, the Three of Clubs is a bellhop.
"One evening, the hotel manager decided to throw a party. He told the bellhop to bring him some people looking to have a good time."

"The bellhop jumped in his car..."

Place the Three of Clubs on top of the deck and cut it. Hold the deck face down.
"and drives down one..."
Thumb four cards off the top of the deck, square them up, then place them face up on the table (retaining the order of the cards).
"two..."
Thumb another four cards off the top of the deck, square them up, and place them on top of the previous pile.
"three..."
Continue doing this (counting packets out loud) until the Four, Five, Six, Seven or Eight of Hearts is face up on the pile.

Here's where there's a little variation. You know that the bellhop is under the Eight of Hearts (you put him on top of the deck, then cut the cards, remember?).

  • If the Four is showing, thumb off four more cards and say, "four blocks..." (or whatever number of packets you've already counted + 1)
  • If the Five is showing, thumb off three more cards and say, "and three quarters of a block..."
  • If the Six is showing, thumb off two more cards and say, "and a half blocks..."
  • If the Seven is showing, thumb off one more card and say, "and a quarter blocks..."
Deal the bellhop off the top of the deck face up beside the hotel manager.

"and returns with..."
Deal four Kings off the top of the deck face up beside the bellhop.
"one, two, three, four older men."
Deal a Two off the top of the deck beside the bellhop.
"The hotel manager turns to the bellhop and says, 'Thanks -- here's two dollars for your trouble.'"
Return the packet of cards (with the face up Eight of Hearts on top) to the bottom of the deck in preparation for the rest of the trick.
"Now, the hotel manager was less than impressed with his party -- the older men were just sitting around, looking bored. The hotel manager told the bellhop to go out and find some women."

"Once again the bellhop jumped in his car..."

[Perform the driving sequence as above.]
"And returned with one, two, three, four women (Queens)."

"The hotel manager was impressed and asked, 'Where'd you find them?' and the bellhop replied..."

Deal the Four, Six and Eight off the top of the deck quickly.
"'468 Main Street.'"
Deal the Five off the top of the deck.
"'Excellent -- here's five dollars for your trouble."
[Continue as above for the next little while.]
"The hotel manager couldn't help but notice that the party seemed a little dry -- the women and men just weren't interested in each other. He told the bellhop to go out and find some younger men."

"The bellhop jumped back in his car..."

"And returned with one, two, three, four younger men (Jacks)."

"'Great! Here's two dollars for your trouble.'"

"Almost immediately the hotel manager realized what was nagging him -- a few minutes later the bellhop was back in his car..."

"And returned a few minutes later with one, two, three, four ace rum (Aces)."

"'Great! Where'd you find alcohol this late?' the hotel manager asked."

"'468 Main Street.'"

"'Wonderful -- here's five dollars for your trouble.'"

"The party starts to quiet down -- one by one the younger men and the women pair off, and the older men show an interest in playing cards. The hotel manager and the bellhop feel like playing as well, but the hotel manager needs some change."

"The bellhop takes two twenty dollar bills from the hotel manager and gets back into his car..."

"And returns with one, two, three, four ten dollar bills (Tens)."

"'Thanks -- here's two dollars for your trouble."

Here's where things get interesting. Cards are to be dealt quickly, face up in a new pile. Delivery of your lines should be clear. Make it a point to look your audience in the eye -- it can be impressive.

Rather than interrupt the flow of the dialogue, the names of cards to be dealt will be in CAPITAL LETTERS.

"The hotel manager and the bellhop start up a conversation during their game of stud poker."

"'So, how old are you?' asked the hotel manager."

"'SIXty EIGHT'."

"'Really? You don't look a day older than thirty (THREE) FIVE'."

"'Do you have any kids?'"

"'Yes, TWO -- one's THREE, one's FOUR.'"

"'Do you belong to any clubs?'"

"Yep, the SEVENty SEVEN CLUB (Seven of Clubs, get it?).'"

"One by one, the older men fold and it's just the hotel manager and the bellhop, looking at one another overtop a gigantic pot. The bellhop calls."

"The hotel manager grins happily, says, 'I've got one, two, three, four Nines, Seven high.' and reaches for the pot."

Fan out the remaining five cards in the deck towards the audience.
"The bellhop had a straight flush of Hearts."

Preparation:

In private, order the deck as follows.

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