ATFUS

ATFUS, Any Time Face-Up Switch, was a card sleight coined by Ed Marlo and published in the April 1964 issue of New Tops (Vol. 4, No. 4) which switches out some cards from a small packet of face-up cards, leaving them with the remainder of the deck, while only appearing to display them.

In 1956, Alex Elmsley published an effect in the Pentagram, Vol. 10, No. 12, september, page 93 called Still Taking Three - Routine 2 that contained the concept of this sleight (although not given a name).

Information about the credit and history of ATFUS has been written in:

• Olram File, Vol. 1, No. 4, april 1991. Article Off the Face-Up Switch, ATFUS and the FUFU Switch by Jon Racherbaumer.
• Collected Works of Alex Elmsley, Vol. II (1994) written by Stephen Minch. See page 116-117.

To avoid a new polemic, here are the conclusions of Stephen Minch :

"Mr. Elmsley, it should be noted, was unaware of this obscure dispute and would never dream of participating in it. This summary of the matter is mine alone, and its given in the hope of putting the subject peacefully to rest."

Variations

• The FuFu Switch in The New Tops, Vol. 4, No. 7, July 1964.
• The Deep Face-Up Switch, The Unexpected Card Book by Ed Marlo (1974)
• Bold Atfus in Kabbala, Vol. 3, No. 5, 1976.
• ATFUS Variation No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 The Complete Works of Derek Dingle (1982)
• "No Fuss Switch", Jack Parker, Genii 2006 June

Effects using ATFUS

• Three Differents Ways By Paul Swinford in Epilogue No. 9, July 1970
• The Flying Kings By Derek Dingle in Reputation-Makers By Harry Lorayne (1971)
• If ATFUS You Don't Succeed... Stahl! By Mike Ludiker in Magic Manuscript, Vol. 3, No. 2, August/September 1981
• ATFUS Stunner By Terry Parret in Genii 1992 August, Vol. 55, No. 10.