Marucci's Bizarre Bazaar

The Saga of Wild Bill
by Peter Marucci

Effect: The magician relates the story of Wild Bill Hickock’s demise, rolling three poker dice on the table. He puts two in his left hand and one in his pocket but, when he opens his left hand, there are the three dice. He repeats this with the same result. He then tosses one die into the left hand and, when he opens it, the die has changed into a small pistol.

Working: You’ll need four poker dice, which can be found at most dollar stores and the like, and a small pistol, usually sold in novelty shops as part of a key chain. Everything is in your right pocket.

Take out the four dice, palming one and rolling the other three on the table.

“The year was 1876, a hot August day in a Deadwood, a town in the Dakota Territory. James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickock was playing cards in the Mann and Lewis Saloon.”

Roll the three dice on the table; it doesn’t matter what cards come up.

“Wild Bill said he would take two cards.” Pick up one die and toss it into your left hand; pick up a second die and toss it into your left hand, too, along with the die that was palmed in your right hand. Pick up the third die and put it in your pocket, actually palming it again in your right hand. You don’t have to make a big deal of this; there’s no heat on that hand so just hold the die, naturally concealing it.

“However, when he counted the cards he’d asked for, he found he had three, not two.”

Open the left hand and let the three dice roll onto the table.

“Wild Bill snapped at the dealer that he’d only asked for two cards. The dealer quickly scooped up the cards and dealt Wild Bill two of them.”

Pick up one die with your right hand and toss it into your left; pick up a second die and toss it into your left, adding the palmed die from your right hand. The third die is picked up and put in your pocket, as you palm up the small pistol that is there.

“But when Wild Bill looked at the cards, again he found that the dealer had given him three instead of two.”

Open the left hand and roll the three dice on the table.

“The dealer quickly grabbed the cards and dealt just one to Wild Bill, putting the other two away.”

Pick up one die and pretend to toss it into the left hand, actually switching it for the pistol (the Bobo switch). Pick up the other two dice with the right hand and put all three in your pocket; the right hand is now empty.

“But Wild Bill was having none of that! He shouted to the dealer that he asked for two cards and two cards he was going to get. And he had just the thing to make his point.”

As you say this, slam the left hand on the table, palm down, and slowly lift the obviously empty hand, revealing the pistol.

“But before he could use the gun, Jack McCall stepped through the doors of the Mann and Lewis Saloon, drew his six-shooter – and shot Wild Bill in the back, sending him out of this life and into legend. Wild Bill was just 39 years old but his name would echo through the years right to the present day -- the unfortunate Saga of Wild Bill.”

Second Thoughts: The historical information about Wild Bill Hickock is accurate – everything except the use of the poker dice and his call for three cards. If you want more information on Hickock, head to your local library. But remember, you’re supposed to be entertaining the audience, not giving them an historical lecture – so don’t overdo it.

For the gun, please use a revolver; an automatic would be somewhat inappropriate, since they weren’t invented in Wild Bill’s time. Personally, I use a miniature derringer; that’s even more logical, since it would make an ideal concealed weapon in a poker game.

Have fun with this.

Peter Marucci