The Perfect Perfect Self-W Self-Working orking Discovery Discovery A quick and easy revelation of a chosen card. A spectator shues his own pack then lays out ! heaps of " cards each. #t doesn$t %atter whether they are dealt pushed o& in a packet or how. 'agician stresses he doesn$t know any of these () cards and will not look at the% at any ti%e. *e thereupon turns his +ack. Spectator then chooses any ( of the ! piles picks it up fans it +efore his eyes and %erely thinks of any card in the fan. *e closes the fan then co%+ines the ! piles into one sandwiching the pile with his card +etween the other , piles so it will +e +uried so%ewhere in the %iddle. 'odern /ard Tricks ,( The %agician turns around around takes takes the l Svcard Svcard packet and and deals the% the% into ! piles ( , ! and over these 0 " and so on. *e picks up each heap in turn and fans the% widely +efore the eyes of the spectator warning warning hi% to give hi% no indication of the card itself +ut %erely telling hi% whether or not the pile contains his card. The %agician co%+ines the ! piles into one one with the pile pile containing the spectator$s card on top. *e asserts that without further ado he will 1nd the card the spectator thought of and without looking at any of the%. *e re%oves the top card and transfers it to the +otto%. *e re%oves the ne2t one fro% the top and places it at the +otto% *e takes the third one fro% the top and puts that also at the +otto%. 3Well 3Well that does it. #$ve co%e to your card the one you thought of and without a single question4 says the perfor%er. At the sa%e ti%e he tilts the packet in his hand so he can see the +otto% card. 4What was your card54 asks the perfor%er. When the spectator na%es it the card is tossed out on the ta+le face up. #t will always +e either the top or +otto% one. #f he na%es a di&erent card than the one you noted at the +otto% take o& the top card and show that you found it having re%oved the correct nu%+er of cards to co%e to it. #f he na%es the one at the +otto% si%ply turn the packet face up to show you placed it at the face of the packet. Whether top or +otto% the 1nish is equally e&ective as it appears you found it and purposely placed it at that position. 6or those who dislike dealing all dealing %ay +e o%itted. After spectator shues take deck quickly push o& the top " then the ne2t " then the ne2t. When he has noted a card and co%+ined the heaps take packet in right hand push o& top card +etween thu%+ and fore1nger of left second +etween 1rst and second 1ngers the third +etween second and third 1ngers. Start over putting the fourth card +etween thu%+ and 1rst 1nger and so on with all the cards. 7ow the " cards +etween each , 1ngers are shown separately to ascertain which group contains his. This can also +e done +ehind your +ack. 8ust state you are %i2ing the cards a +it or that you are putting his card in a certain position which he will see shortly. /ontrived /oincidence
Spectator shues his deck. 9ou take the deck and state you will do a trick in reverse that instead of you guessing a card a spectator %ight choose you will try to have hi% guess one of your choice. 9ou say you are thinking of one particular card and that you will place it aside for future veri1cation. 6an the deck faces to you to look for your thought-of card.What you do is to note the top and +otto% cards. #f for instance one is the , of /lu+s and the other the of *earts you quickly run through the pack to locate whichever co%es 1rst the , of *earts or the of /lu+s. #n other words you 1nd a card of the sa%e suit as one and the sa%e value as the other. 'odern /ard Tricks ,, Should the top and +otto% cards happen to +e of the sa%e suit or the sa%e value close up the pack and have it cut apparently as an afterthought. When you 1nd the card you place it on the ta+le face down without showing it. Ask spectator if he can na%e it. :f course he can$t. 9ou tell hi% perhaps he %ay +e a+le to reveal it in a way he never drea%ed of. State that you want hi% to insert a 1nger a knife+lade a nail 1le or so%ething si%ilar anywhere +etween the cards. This done you lift o& the cards a+ove the separation with the right hand holding the lower part of the pack in the left. Stretch the ar%s far apart asking hi% to notice that you separate the deck at the very spot chosen +y hi% and that there are no quick %oves to deceive hi%. A slight pause and a little talking at this point causes hi% to forget which half is which. Place the top half in the right hand face down on the ta+le and lay the other half across it cross- wise to %ark 4the place in the deck he selected.4 This is the +asis of an old force. The previous top and +otto% cards are thus +rought together. Spectator never notices the deception +ut thinks the separation %arks the place he cut to. 7ow show your card for the 1rst ti%e. Then separate the two halves of the deck where they criss cross turning the top part face up and the top card of the +otto% half face up. Show the spectator that he has unconsciously designated your card in this %anner. #f your card was the of *earts you say; 4See you cut the deck at a spot and at a *eart.4 A si%ilar e&ect with a prearranged deck called 4/ontrolled /oincidence4 was invented long ago +y
#f for instance the top , should +e the ! of /lu+s and the of Dia%onds look for either the ! of Dia%onds or the of /lu+s whichever happens to co%e 1rst. >e%ove it and lay it on the ta+le face down without showing it. *and the pack to spectator asking hi% to deal o& cards into a pile and to stop whenever he pleases. This done he is asked to pick up the s%all heap dealt o& and to deal it into , piles a card at a ti%e alternately. This will result in putting the , cards you 1rst noted at the top of the respective heaps. ?/ards of course are dealt face down.@ 9ou now display the card you chose. Suppose it is the of /lu+s. Ask hi% to turn up the top cards of the , piles. *e does so and 1nds one is a -spot the other a /lu+. =lenn =ravatt. 'odern /ard Tricks ,! Adding The Digits A spectator cuts the deck into , parts having +een told to cut fairly near the center although the parts do not have to +e equal. 9our o+ect is to have hi% take at least ,. *e is now to choose either portion and count to see how %any are in it. Suppose he counts ,!. *e adds the , digits in this case , plus ! %akes . *e turns his chosen portion face up and counts to that nu%+er fro% the 6A/B of the packet. #n the assu%ed case he would count to the th card and re%e%+er it. *e places the portion cantaining his card on the unused portion thus asse%+ling the co%plete deck. 9ou can 1nd his card +ecause it will +e (Cth fro% the top. Another way of using this principle of adding digits is to use , decks. The spectator shues the% and retains one giving you the other. oth do the sa%e thing. Bach of you cut o& a+out a third of the pack. That is to keep the nu%+er under ,. Bach counts his cards and adds the digits. 'eanwhile your +ack is turned. #f the spectator holds (E cards he adds ( and E %aking ) and deals ) fro% his packet onto the ta+le or in his pocket. *e looks at the face card of those re%aining in his hands then puts the packet on the %ain deck. All the while you pretend to +e doing the sa%e thing +ut your actions are for %isdirection only. 9ou e2change decks with the spectator asking hi% to 1nd the duplicate of the card he noted io your deck and you will 1nd the duplicate of the one you noted in the sa%e way in his deck. When the , cards are re%oved and shown they prove to +e identical. Apparently you +oth chose the sa%e card. When you take the spectator$s pack you note the Cth card which will +e the one he noted. *e re%oves its duplicate fro% your pack. Still another %ethod of the digit adding device is this; 6ro% his shued pack spectator re%oves a nu%+er of cards fro% ( to ,. *e counts the% and adds the , digits. #f he has (E he adds ( and E %aking ). So he returns ) to the deck. All this ti%e your +ack is turned. 7ow you have hi% start at the top and call out the na%es
of the cards. Feep track of the nu%+er. When the Cth is called stop hi%. *is card is always Cth. Should you have hi% cut o& a +atch containing , or %ore and the sa%e procedure undergone his card will +e ()th. Another trick using this principle is this; Gayout an Ace and an )--spot face down without showing the%. Spectator %akes the deck into , piles and takes one. *e counts the cards in his chosen pile adds the digits and deals the nu%+er of cards so arrived at on the other pile. Thus he will +e left with either C or () cards in his hands depending upon how %any he took originally. #f he took ( added ( and and re%oved " he would +e left with C. #f he took ,! added , and ! and re%oved he would +e #eft with (). *ave hi% count the cards re%aining then show your , prophecy cards to prove you knew this in advance. #f he has C add the Ace and )spot to %ake C. #f he has () show that the Ace ?one@ and the eight represent the 1gure (). 'odern /ard Tricks ,0 erg$s >evelation The old principle of counting a +atch of cards adding the digits etc. is cleverly used +y 8oe erg as follows; While your +ack is turned a spectator cuts o& a +unch of cards fro% a deck he has ust shued any nu%+er at all. *e counts how %any cards he has adds the , digits and discards that nu%+er of cards fro% the +unch putting the% +ack with the deck. 6or instance if he has ,0 he adds , and 0 totaling ". So he re%oves " cards. *e is now asked to think of any nu%+er fro% ( to C and again discard so%e cards returning to the deck a nu%+er corresponding to the nu%+er he decided upon. This done he counts to his thought-of-nu%+er ?fro% ( to C@ in the packet of cards re%aining in his hands and looks at and re%e%+ers the card lying at that position. *e then hands you the cards which you keep +ehind you as you turn to face hi%. Without distur+ing their order count the% +ehind your +ack. Whatever their nu%+er su+tract that nu%+er fro% the ne2t highest %ultiple of C. The result gives you the position of his card. #f you have (( cards su+tract (( fro% () the ne2t %ultiple of C giving you E. Thus his card lies Eth in the heap. #f there are ,0 cards su+tract ,0 fro% ,E ?the ne2t highest %ultiple of C@ giving you !. So his card lies !rd in the heap. #f there are E cards su+tract E fro% C giving ,. So his card is second. B%phasiHe the fact that at no ti%e have you asked a single question. At the start he helped hi%self to an unknown nu%+er of cards that is unknown to you. *e added the , digits and discarded that nu%+er unknown to you. And 1nally he discarded so%e %ore this ti%e having free choice of the nu%+er discarded a nu%+er which was never announced. *e then noted a card at this freely chosen nu%+er. >e%ove the correct card and place it face down on the ta+le. Ask hi% to na%e his card. *e does so. 9ou turn it up. 'arvelousI
Divining The 7u%+er of /ards #n Pocket A =erald Fosky i%prove%ent on a su+tle %athe%atical principle used in several tricks. A spectator shues his deck and while your +ack is turned cuts o& a +unch of cards any nu%+er at all. 9ou do not know the nu%+er cut o& and you never ask +ut he counts the% to hi%self to ascertain the nu%+er he cut o&. The +alance of the deck is discarded. *e then adds the , digits of the nu%+er counted. *e re%oves that %any fro% the cut-o& portion and places the% on the ta+le. #f he cut o& (E then ( plus E %akes ) so he would put ) of the cards he holds on the ta+le. #f he cut o& , then , plus equals , so he would put , on the ta+le. 6inally he re%oves any nu%+er of cards fro% ( to ( and puts those in his pocket. 9ou with your +ack still turned so you can see none of his actions ask hi% to call out the colors of the 'odern /ard Tricks , cards he has left fro% the packet he originally cut o& so%e of which have +een placed on the ta+le and so%e of which are in his pocket. :ne +y one he calls out red or +lack. This done you i%%ediately tell hi% how %any cards he put in his pocket which is a%aHing +ecause at no ti%e did you have any idea of how %any cards he was working with. 9ou pay no attention to the colors called. This is a su+tle device originated +y =erald Fosky for the purpose of %isdirection only. What you do is si%ply to keep track of the nu%+er of cards. Whatever that nu%+er is su+tract it fro% its ne2t highest %ultiple of C and the result gives you the nu%+er of cards in his pocket. 6or instance if he calls out the colors of E cards E fro% C leaves , so he has , in his pocket. #f he calls the colors of (0 cards (0 fro% () the ne2t highest %ultiple of C gives 0 so he has 0 in his pocket. Should he call out the colors of , cards then , fro% ,E ?the ne2t highest %ultiple of C@ would give E therefore he would have E cards in his pocket. Throughout you stress the fact that you did not know how %any cards he cut o& the pack in the 1rst place therefore it follows you could not know how %any he laid out on the ta+le and1nally you could not know the nu%+er he selected to put in his pocket. The outco%e therefore is the result of your powers of divination. /o%+ination of /hosen /ard and /ards #n Pocket A good %athe%atical principle ?or any other principle for that %atter@ %ay +e disguised and used in di&erent ways so that %any tricks all apparently di&erent can evolve fro% the sa%e +ase. The counting of a group of cards and adding the , digits resulting fro% that count has +een used to divine how %any cards a spectator has
concealed or hidden in his pocket. #t has also +een used to na%e or reveal a card noted and re%e%+ered +y a spectator. #n this trick the two e&ects are co%+ined resulting in a dou+le cli%a2 although no %ore e&ort is needed than perfor%ing ust one of the two. *ere you not only tell a spectator how %any cards he has re%oved and put in his pocket +ut you also locate a card he has looked at. egin +y having a spectator shue his pack. Turning your +ack invite hi% to cut o& a quantity of cards count the% sccretly add the digits and discard that %any cards. Thus if he cuts o& ,! he totals the , digits %aking and re%oves cards and puts the% +ack with the deck. *e is then to think of any s%all nu%+er and to re%ove that nu%+er of cards fro% those in his hands and put the% in his pocket. #f he thinks of the nu%+er E he puts E cards in his pocket. Tell hi% to count down to the card at this sa%e nu%+er a%ong the cards re%aining in his hands and %ake a %ental note of the card. #n this instance he would re%e%+er the Eth card. 9ou turn around and take the packet of cards fro% hi%. Without glancing at their faces slowly pass the cards one +y one +efore his eyes asking hi% to watch for his card +ut to give you no 'odern /ard Tricks ," indication when he sees it you want to catch his %ental vi+rations %ysterious waves e%anating fro% the +rain which %ay tip you o&. What you really do is count the cards. Suppose there are ((. Su+tract the nu%+er fro% the ne2t highest %ultiple of C which would +e (). #f the nu%+er is less than C su+tract it fro% C. A re%ainder of E is left. This is the nu%+er at which the noted card will +e found fro% the top of the packet. #t is also the nu%+er of cards he put in his pocket. Toss out his card ?the Eth in the case assu%ed; and dra%atically announce that he has E cards in his pocket. 'atching /ards y 7u%erology =lenn =ravatt uses an old principle to produce an entirely new e&ect; A spectator shues his own pack. 9ou take the cards assert that you are thinking of a particular card which you will 1rst re%ove frorn the deck. 6an the cards +efore you and rapidly count ?silently of course@ to the tenth card noting it. Suppose it is the E of /lu+s. Feep on until you 1nd its %ate the E of Spades that is the card that %atches it in color and value. >e%ove the %atching card. Place it face down on the ta+le without showing it. Ask the spectator to call out any nu%+er +etween ( and ,. *e does so. We will
assu%e he calls (!. Deal o& (! cards. This ust to reverse their order. Put the% +ack on the deck. Tell hi% that in the science of nu%erology with which he is dou+tless fa%iliar a low nu%+er is always arrived at +y adding the two digits of a higher nu%+er. #n this case he selected (! so ( and ! %ake 0. Therefore he will get the 0th card; Deal to the 0th card and toss it out face down. Turn up the card. #t will +e the one that was originally (th in this case the E of /lu+s. >e%inding hi% that he %ight have chosen any nu%+er turn over the card you re%oved 4+efore the trick +egan;$ #t is the E of Spades. 4The two +lack sevens4 you say 4what a strange coincidence.J K->ay Byes Secretly gli%pse the +otto% card of the pack. *and pack to a spectator. Ask hi% to square up the deck face down on the pal% of his hand. Tell hi% to pull out the center third of the deck and drop it on top of the pack. Ask hi% to %ark his .initials lightly on the +ack of the top card ?the top one of the %iddle section he pulled out.@ *e is not to look at its face. 'odern /ard Tricks ,E Ask hi% to give the pack a single cut then another one or two. *e then ri++on spreads the cards in a long spread on the ta+le face up. 9ou note the card i%%ediately a+ove the +otto% card you noted earlier. 'ark your initials on its face. Ask hi% if he can 1nd his card. :f course he can$t +ecause he never looked at its face. Tell hi% that if he can$t 1nd his own card there is no way that you can 1nd it e2cept to look at their +acks and locate the one with his initials. Turn over the cards. Pick out the one with his initials on the +ack. Show that it is the very card on which you wrote yours on the face. /redit to 7ed >utledge. ack #n Place A spectator shues his deck thinks of a nu%+er +etween ( and ( then looks at the card at that nu%+er fro% the top. *e now transfers the Sa%e nu%+er of cards fro% the +otto% to the top. 9ou sec none of this as your +ack is turned. 9ou now take the deck and place it +ehind your +ack. 9ou stress the fact that since you do not know the nu%+er he thought of and since it is no longer at that nu%+er inas%uch as so%e were transferred fro% the +otto% on top of it you wi## atte%pt the i%possi+le. That is with no knowledge of his nu%+er you will 1nd it and restore his card to its original position. ehind your +ack count o& , fro% the top placing the 1rst +etween a thu%+ and 1rst 1nger the second +etween the 1rst and second 1nger the third on the card +etween thurn+ and 1rst 1nger the fourth under the card +etween 1rst and second 1ngers and so on until you have dealt ,. 7ow put the ( that are +etween the
1rst and second 1ngers on the ( that are +etween thu%+ and 1rst 1nger then place all , on top of pack. ring pack into view. State that you have located his card and placed it +ack in its original position. Ask hi% his nu%+er. Suppose he says E. /ount down to the Eth card and toss out. Ask hi% the na%e of his card. *e says for instance the ! of clu+s. Turn the tossed-out card face up. Sure enough it is the ! of clu+s. Perfect Gocation Perhaps the closest approach to the perfect card location as the spectator does everything with the deck in his own hands. *and deck to spectator. *ave hi% shue. Ask hi% to re%ove any card to note and re%e%+er it then put it face down on the ta+le. Tell hi% to cut the rest of the deck into ! piles A:LT BMLAG. Tell hi% to put his card on anyone of the ! piles then take the pile with the chosen card on top turn the whole pile over and put it face up on either of the other , piles. *e then puts the 'odern /ard Tricks ,) re%aining pile face down on top of all. Thus the pile with his card will +e face up sandwiched +etween , face down piles. Ask hi% to give the deck one rie shue. After this he %ay give the pack a co%plete cut or two. The cards will consequently +e well %i2ed so%e face up so%e face down. Take the deck and turn it over. >un through the deck and you will 1nd a few face up followed +y a few face down cards then a whole +atch of face up cards. The rest of the pack will consist of s%all +atches of face up and face down cards. The 1rst face down card after the +ig +atch of face up cards will always +e the selected card. 9ou can then reveal it in any %anner. #n seeking his card what you do is to look for the longest run of face up cards. *is card will +e the one i%%ediately following this run. Pointers; 'ake sure the ! piles are nearly equal. 6or the rie shue %ake sure the pack is cut as nearly in the center as possi+le then ried. #%pro%ptu /ard To Pocket 7o Sleights *and a spectator the pack and turn your +ack to hi%. *e is asked to cut a s%all packet of cards fro% the top of the pack. *e counts his cards silently then puts the% in his pocket. *e then turns the deck 6A/B LP and looks at the card fro% the face of the deck corresponding to the nu%+er pocketed. Thus if he re%oved cards he will note the th fro% the :TT:'. Spectator cuts the pack so that his noted card will +e +rought to a now unknown position. When you turn around you take the pack and rapidly deal ," cards onto
the ta+le e2plaining you intend to use only the half containing his card. Spreading these ," ask the spectator to see if his is a%ong the% and si%ply to say yes or no without indicating the card. #t is not there. 9ou say then the other half o+viously %ust contain it. 9ou fan the rest of the pack face up +ut he still doesn$t see his card. 9ou then produce it fro% your pocket. And no sleight of hand is involved. The %ethod was devised +y the renowned Scal+ert. The only preparation-in advance is to shorten one card ?any card@ +y taking scissors and snipping o& a very tiny strip clear across one end. This short card is placed ,Eth fro% the top. At the point descri+ed a+ove where you turn to take the deck you say 4you lost your card +y cutting the pack didn$t you54 and while talking give it a cut yourself. What you actually do is to cut at the short card which is easy +ecause when you rie the end the deck will snap open there. /ut the short card to the top. # have o%itted stating that after spectator cuts the deck and +efore you turn around to take it fro% hi% he returns the cards in his packet to the top so that the , card deck will +e co%plete. 'odern /ard Tricks ,C :nce you cut the short card to the top the chosen card +eco%es ,Eth fro% the top. As outlined a+ove you say you will divide the pack in half. So you deal o& ," This leaves his card right on top of those left in your hands. *old these in your left hand while you lean forward to turn those on the ta+le face up and spread the% with your right. The +alance of the pack co%es naturally over the opening of your left coat pocket. At the %o%ent you turn over the cards on the ta+le you thu%+ the selected one into the pocket. Thu%+ ust slides it o& fro% the rest. This %isdirection is a+solutely perfect. When spectator cannot 1nd his card you turn over the other pile. When he vainly seeks it there you produce it fro% your pocket for a surprise cli%a2. #%pro%ptu Detection A spectator shues his own deck thinks of a card re%oves the thought-of card and puts it face down on the ta+le. Take the deck and without looking at the cards put the% over the chosen card saying; 39our card is at the +otto% of the deck. 8ust cut the deck so that your card will +e lost so%ewhere in the %iddle of the pack.4 The spectator does this. 9ou square the cards and say you will try to 1nd the card while holding the deck +ehind your +ack. 9ou put the cards +ehind you and soon +ring forth one. *e na%es his card. 9ou show the card you have +rought forth. #t is his.
While he is looking for a card to re%ove fro% the deck you turn your +ack to hi% 4so you wont get an accidental gli%pse of the card.4 This gives you a chance to put the tip of your right fore1nger to your %outh and o+tain a little saliva. When chosen card is put on ta+le turn around take the rest of the cards and while putting deck on top of chosen card pass the %oistened 1ngertip across the +otto% card of deck. When deck is cut and squared the two cards stick together. #t is easy to 1nd the chosen one +ehind your +ack +y feeling for two cards stuck together. Separate the two and +ring the chosen one forward. Attri+uted to Paul Fahn.
