MentalMagicwithCardsbyJeanHugard
Jean Hugard
17,669 wordsMentalismintermediateOriginally Published for the Profession Several Methods of Forcing a Certain Card. Locating a Page and Word by Cards Clairvoyant Reading of Several Cards Before entering on an explanation of these mind reading effects, a description of the proper method of presentation and showmanship is desirable.
PalmPassCard To PocketFalse ShuffleForce
MENTAL MAGIC WITH CARDS
BY
JEAN HUGARD
Originally Published for the Profession
By
CALOSTRO PUBLICATIONS
1935,
P. 0. Box 76,
Times Square Station.
New York, N. Y.
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
The Importance of Showmanship
CHAPTER I: FORCING THOUGHT PRINCIPLE
Several Methods of Forcing a Certain Card.
Card and Number Divination.
CHAPTER II: THE KEY CARD PRINCIPLE
An Example of Presentation.
The Three Heaps.
The Trio.
The Moving Finger.
A Card and a Number.
Divining a Card.
The Count Down.
The Six Piles
CHAPTER III: THE NAIL OR PIN MARKING
PRINCIPLE
Thought Card Discovered
A Test Discovery
An Envelope Mystery
A Variation
CHAPTER IV: THE PREARRANGED PACK
PRINCIPLE
Method of Changing Packs
Partial Set-ups
Mephisto's Message
Thought Card to Pocket
Finding a Number
Mental Spelling
Set-up of Full Pack
Reading any Card Called For
Locating a Page and Word by Cards
Clairvoyant Reading of Several Cards
A Startling Experiment
Novel Card Reading
CHAPTER V: VARIOUS PRESENTATIONS OF
THE ONE WAY DECK PRINCIPLE
CHAPTER VI: TRICKS WITH ASSISTANT AS
THE MEDIUM
FIRST METHOD
SECOND METHOD
CHAPTER VII: CODES FOR MIND READING
WITH CARDS
Talking Codes
First Method
Second Method
Silent Codes
Method One
Method Two
Silent Code for Confederate
CHAPTER VIII: FORCING DECKS
CHAPTER IX: THE MARKED CARD PRINCIPLE
A Card Prediction.
CHAPTER X: THE IMPRESSION OR CARBON
SYSTEM
Method One
Method Two
CHAPTER XI: THE MIRROR PRINCIPLE
CHAPTER XII: A PREDICTION
CHAPTER XIII: THE TELEPATHIC BRIDGE
GAME
INTRODUCTION
The Importance of Showmanship
Before entering on an explanation of these mind reading effects, a description of
the proper method of presentation and showmanship is desirable. The author of a
booklet recently published, describing the difference between a magician and a
mind reader, writes that the magician repeatedly shows his hands empty and
protests that he does not use this or that sleight, whereas the mind reader does
none of these things, presenting his feats without flourishes or any suggestion
whatever of cleverness in manipulation. Now, if that author had written
"manipulator" instead of "magician" he would have been right. A finished
magician will avoid all unnecessary and ostentatious display of the front and back
of his hands, showing hands empty and so on. His every move will be a natural
one and only such as would be used by anyone under similar circumstances. In
every way possible, he will strive to give the impression that he himself plays only
a passive part in connection with the wonders that happen.
These observations apply with even greater force to exhibitions of pretended mind
reading with cards, which should be handled without any display of flourishes or
fancy moves, with the possible exception of the riffle shuffle which is now in such
general use that no suspicion of cleverness is apt to be attached to it. The waterfall
finish after the shuffle is taboo. It is better to affect a slight awkwardness; for
instance, while shuffling, you may drop a card occasionally, but, be careful not to
overdo this, either. In short, handle the cards just as any card player would.
In the selection of an assistant from the audience, it is well to have the spectators
decide who is to be the subject of the test in order to offset any suspicion of
confederacy. If more than one person is to take part in the experiment, let the one
first chosen select the next and so on. Sometimes it may be necessary for you to
choose someone whose appearance leads you to believe he will be more inclined
to help than to hinder you. Have experiments requiring friendly subjects follow
others in which you have shown your powers with assistants chosen by the
audience. Pretense of hypnotizing the subject will add to the effect and
showmanship.
CHAPTER I: Forcing Thought Principle
Several Methods of Forcing a Certain Card
Knowing how to induce a spectator to think of a certain card is important. A good
method is by ruffling the cards. Take the deck face downwards in the left hand,
thumb on the back near its inner end. Bring the right hand over the pack, fingers at
the outer end, thumb at the inner end. Bend the cards upwards before the subject's
eyes and let the outer ends of the pack spring free. Stop the movement for a
moment so that only one card may be plainly seen, then slip the tip of the second
finger of the left hand under it and continue the ruffle.
Another way is to secretly push the upper portion of the deck a trifle upwards, the
resulting break being hidden by the fingers of the right hand. When the cards are
ruffled, there will be a slight stop when the lowest card of the upper portion is
reached. In either method one card only has been seen by the spectator and that
will most likely be the card he will think of. When presenting the pack to his gaze,
it is advisable to ask him to take no notice of the bottom card but to make a
"mental note" of any other card he sees.
Again, you may spring the cards from your right hand into your left, face upward.
Let the cards shoot down so rapidly that no one of them can be identified, but
about half-way through the deck, stop the action for a moment, then spring the
remainder. The only card that you, yourself, could distinguish will most likely be
the card mentally selected by the observer. To locate a freely selected card, you
may spring the cards face downward, stopping at the spectator's request.. He lifts
up the last card that has fallen and looks at it. You quietly sight the face card of
those in your right hand and when the card is replaced on the left hand portion by
the spectator you drop the right hand portion on top of it. Thus you know the
chosen card lies next below the one you just noted so that you can find it when
you want to.
Another very easy method is by means of a simple cut. You hold the deck towards
a spectator face down on your left hand, asking him to choose a card. Let him cut
the pack and look at the bottom card of his portion, take this from him and slip the
tip of the little finger of your right hand between the packets as you reassemble the
deck. A moment later, divide the pack with your right thumb at the position held
by the little finger tip and then riffle shuffle the two packs. You have only to let
the bottom card of the right hand packet fall first and the chosen card will be at the
bottom.
A more subtle procedure is this. Have the deck well shuffled and hold it face
downwards in your left hand. Take off cards one by one with your right hand and
hold them facing the spectator. Count mentally each card as you take it and keep
these cards well squared, so that the person can see only the last card. Take the
cards rather slowly and at the same rate of speed throughout and keep separating
the hands some little distance apart. Watch the spectator's eyes, they will follow
the movements of your right hand in taking and exposing each card. When the
eyes rest, note the number of that card but continue to show five or six more cards
at exactly the same pace before you ask if a mental selection has been made. You
have then only to shuffle off the cards above the one noted to get the card at your
command for any finish you may wish to make.
Card and Number Divination.
A deck having been well shuffled you take it and by one of the methods
previously explained force a spectator to think of a certain card and bring this card
to the top by means of a simple cut. in the course of a shuffle, run six cards on top
of it so that the card will lie seventh. This may easily be done by a riffle shuffle.
You have only to hold back several cards from the top of the left hand packet and
let them fall last. Two or three riffles will enable you to do this in the most natural
manner possible.
Now ask a second spectator to think of a number between one and ten. if seven is
chosen-gazing steadily at him, make a false shuffle leaving the top seven cards in
their original position. Lay the deck down. Have the card and the number called
and, if all goes as you have arranged, let a third spectator take the pack, deal off
six cards and show that the seventh is the card thought of. A very astonishing
result.
If you exercise a little care in the choice of your two assistants, the chances are
that the trick will come out right, but supposing some number other than seven is
called. For six, you simply have six cards dealt and the next card shown. For
certain other numbers you will have to deal the cards yourself. If eight or nine are
chosen, make a false count once or twice as the case may be. For two, three, four,
or five palm off the number of cards required to make the count correct. Don't be
in a hurry, talk at length on the extreme difficulty of reading the thoughts of two
persons at the same time and don't look at your hands while palming the cards.
If some other number has been thought of, proceed as follows. Deal cards to the
number called and lay that card, whatever it may be, face down on the table. Run
through the pack, faces to yourself and slide the chosen card behind the others,
getting it to the top. Then show the faces to the company, proving that the card is
not there by simply not showing the top card. With the pack in your left hand, take
up the card on the table with your right, go to the spectator and show it to him so
that he alone sees the card, claiming you have made a complete success. Turn to
your table, make the bottom change, and lay the spectator's card down. Palm the
bottom card in your left hand.
The spectator claims you have made a mistake. You maintain that you showed him
the card he thought of. Keep up the argument as long as it amuses the rest of the
company, then let him turn over the card on the table. It is his card. "As for the
card you thought you saw just now," you continue, "It has been in my pocket the
whole evening." You thrust your hand into your pocket and bring out the palmed
card.
CHAPTER II: The Key Card Principle
An Example of Presentation.
Since space will not allow for giving the patter for every experiment, the
presentation of the following trick must serve as an example on which to base
others. A simple effect has been chosen to show how it can be built up into a
seeming miracle of mind reading.
You have any pack thoroughly shuffled and request the audience to choose the
person who is to act as the medium. This done, hand the pack to him and, in so
doing, tilt the inner end slightly upward so that you can read the index of the
bottom card. You say to him, "Now, Mr. Jones, will you kindly divide the pack
into seven portions, face down on the table? No need to deal them, just cut the
pack into seven heaps. You all know that from the earliest ages, seven has been
regarded as a mystical number. Greece had her Seven Sages. There were the
Seven Sleepers of Ephesus and Seven Wonders of the Old World; in Holy writ, we
have the Seven Seals, the Seven Stars, the Seven Lamps, the Seven Loaves, Seven
Mortal Sins and Seven Virtues. There are seven days in the week, seven notes in
music and seven colors in the spectrum. A volume could be written on the number
seven. To me, being the seventh son of a seventh son, it is peculiarly significant.
"I will ask Mr. Jones to take the top card of any heap, pick it up very carefully so
that I cannot possibly get a glimpse of its face, and impress its denomination
firmly on your mind. Replace it, and now, to avoid suspicion of any manipulation
of the card I will place three heaps above it and three below it, making it safe from
interference."
You must note which heap has the original bottom card of the pack and this heap
is the first of the three that you place on the selected card. If, by one chance in
seven, the top card of this heap has been chosen, simply tell the subject to put it on
top of any other heap. In either case you know that the card is the next card below
the one you sighted. at the bottom of the deck. Gather up the other three heaps and
place them underneath. Square the pack by tapping its edges on the table. You
then say, "You will have noticed that I have not touched the card, that I have not
seen it or any other card in the pack and to avoid any suspicion that I might know
even its approximate position in the pack, will you kindly cut the cards several
times?" See that the cuts are completed. "You must all be satisfied that I cannot
possibly know where the card is? Good. I will lay the cards out face upwards so
that Mr. Jones can see his card and while my back is turned I want him to take out
his card, but to be very careful not to disturb any other card."
Spread the cards and note the one that follows the original bottom card of the deck
and turn away. The subject takes his card out of the line. You continue, "I will ask
someone else to gather up the rest of the pack and place it in his pocket. Done?
Thank you. Now, Mr. Jones, will you put your card face down on the table, place
both hands on it. Ready?" You turn and face him.
"Now, please look at me and concentrate on your card. Are you doing that? I don't
seem to get any impression. Let me just touch your hands. Contact makes it easier
sometimes. Yes, that's better. It's a red card with an intricate pattern . . . a court
card . . . a diamond . . . the king of diamonds." The card is turned up and shown to
be correct.
It will be seen that the trick is made up of the simplest possible elements, but
presented in this manner, it will be found to create a striking impression.
The Three Heaps.
At any favorable opportunity secretly note and memorize the two cards at the top
of the deck. Invite a spectator to cut the cards into three heaps and watch where
the packet with the two known cards is placed. Let us suppose that the top card
was the ace of diamonds, followed by the seven of spades. and that they are on the
top of the third heap after the cutting has been done.
Claiming clairvoyant powers, pick up the top card of the first heap, saying
confidently, "This card is the ace of diamonds." Looking at it but not letting
anyone else get a glimpse of its face, you find that it really is the ten of diamonds.
Take the top card of the second packet in the same way, saying, "And this card is
the ten of diamonds." Place this on the other card in your hand and smile
cheerfully as if you had scored another hit. Suppose it is the jack of spades, take
up the card on top of the third heap, (ace of diamonds) and call it the jack of
spades.
Slip this card behind the other two and throw all three on the table, face up. "There
they are, just as I stated, ace of diamonds, ten of diamonds and the jack of spades.
Would you like a further proof? Very well."
Knowing that the card now on the top of the third heap is the seven of spades you
proceed to name the top cards of the three heaps in exactly the same way as
before.
The Trio.
Any pack of cards having been freely shuffled by the spectators, you take it and,
under pretense of removing the joker, you memorize the three cards lying above
the bottom card. Suppose these three cards are the king of clubs, nine of spades,
and ace of diamonds. Commit them to memory thus . . . king, nine, ace . . . club,
spade, diamond. This is much easier than taking the name of each card separately.
Lay the pack down and ask a spectator to cut it as nearly as possible into two equal
parts. To find out how closely he has come to an exact division you pick up the
original top half of the deck and he takes the lower portion. You each count your
cards by dealing them on the table. The positions of the cards are thus reversed,
the original bottom card will now be the top card of the spectator's heap and under
it will lie the three cards memorized by you.
Ask which half you shall take. If the packet just counted by you is indicated, take
it and lay it aside. If, however, the other portion is chosen, take it up and hand it to
the spectator. In either case he gets the packet with the three memorized cards.
Instruct him to take off the top card and push it into the middle, then to do the
same with the bottom card. This is mere camouflage but it helps to confuse the
helper. Next, he is to take the top card and lay it face down before him, hand the
second card face down to any one he pleases and do the same with the third card.
Go through the usual routine of having each person concentrate on his card and
you successfully read their thoughts. You may effectively pretend to get the cards
by automatic writing or by asking the subjects to make mental pictures of their
cards and then you make a rough drawing of each.
The Moving Finger.
Any deck may be used and it may be freely shuffled by the spectators. First it is
necessary that you find out secretly the name of the top card, in the following
manner:
Explain to a spectator what he is to do after your back is turned. He is to think of
any number, deal cards face down until he reaches that number, turn that card,
memorize it, replace it on the top of the deck and then bury it by placing the dealt
cards on it. Illustrate this by saying, "Suppose you thought of six. You would deal
off five cards thus, then look at the next card, the sixth, replace it and put the dealt
cards on it."
You look at the sixth card, but you don't let the subject or any one else see what it
is. To bring this card back to the top of the pack imperceptibly, you pretend that
your subject does not understand what is to be done so you go through the
procedure again. Suggesting that the number might be seven, deal off six cards,
point to the next as being the one to be memorized, but don't turn it over, simply
pick up the six cards just dealt and drop them on the pack. You now know the top
card formerly the sixth and the knowledge has been obtained in such a subtle way
that no one can have any suspicion that you could know any card at all.
You turn away; the spectator thinks of a number, deals to it, looks at the card,
buries it by replacing the cards dealt, gives the cards a single complete cut and
squares the pack. Then he calls, "Ready." Turn, and taking the cards, spread them
face up on the table. Watch for your key card, the one preceding it on the right will
be the spectator's card. Tell him that you will pass your index finger along the line
of cards and that when it reaches his card he is to think, "STOP! That is my card!"
Act accordingly, passing your finger over the cards slowly until the card is
reached, then hesitate, moving the finger back and forth, finally dropping it on the
card.
A Card and a Number.
Any deck having been freely shuffled, you take it back and holding it in your left
hand, riffle off the outer left corners of about a dozen cards with the left thumb.
Lift these cards off the pack with the right hand and get a glimpse of the bottom
card of the packet. The position of the cards enables you to do this imperceptibly.
Count these cards, face down, reversing their order, thus bringing the sighted card
to the top. Spread this packet in a wide fan and invite a spectator to touch one and
make a mental note of it. Quickly note at what number in the fan the chosen card
lies, close the fan and drop the cards on the table, face down. Lay the rest of the
deck on top and invite the spectator to cut. Complete the cut.
Tell the subject that you will deal the cards face up and that he is to count as you
deal so that he will know at what number in the pack his card lies but on no
account to give any indication when the card appears. Supposing that the card
touched was the sixth card in the fan, you have merely to count till you reach the
card you sighted originally, when you know that the selected card is the fifth one
beyond that. Note the number and the card but continue the deal without any
alteration of pace.
When you have dealt about three-quarters of the pack, stop and ask if the card has
been seen and if the number at which it lies has been noted. Drop the rest of the
cards on top of those dealt. Grasp the spectator's hand and in the usual hesitating,
groping way, give out the number and the name of the card.
Divining a Card.
You secretly get the ace of spades to the bottom of the deck. Shuffle thoroughly by
both the riffle and the overhand methods, retaining the ace in that position, and
being careful not to allow anyone to get a glimpse of it. Lay the pack face down on
the table for a moment while you explain that you are going to ask someone to
merely think of a card. Pick out a likely looking person and hand the deck to him,
holding it in such a way that he will see the ace of spades, saying, "Will you think
of a card? Just any card that comes into your mind. You have done that? Please
shuffle the cards and keep your thoughts on the one you have selected. Thank
you."
On your table you have a blank card and a pencil. Take these and on the card draw
four lines right across it, leaving the second and fourth spaces a little wider than
the others. Place this on the back of the deck and hand it, along with a pencil to the
spectator, with a request that the card thought of and any four others be written in
the spaces. You say, "You may write it first, or last, or in the middle, anywhere
you wish and any other four cards in the other spaces." This will tend to influence
the person to write the name of his thought card in the second or fourth spaces.
Turn away but covertly watch the subject's actions while he is writing. He will
hesitate a little before writing the names of each of the four indifferent cards but
will write the name of his selected card quickly and, most probably, in the second
or fourth space. With a little practice you will have no difficulty in deciding on
what space the chosen card has been written.
Take the pack and the list card from the spectator and glance at the names. Note
the card written in the space you decided on and toss the list card on to the table.
This should be done in the most casual manner to give the impression that you
have not read any part of the list. Ask your subject to think intently of his card, run
through the deck, take out the card you have decided on and put it face down on
the table. There is a big chance that the ace of spades will have been selected,
owing to the manner in which you handed the deck out in the beginning of the
trick, and if you find that name written in the space you fixed on, you may be
certain you are right.
Hand the list back to the subject and have him cross off the names of the four
indifferent cards. The name of the remaining card is called and you turn up the
card you laid on the table.
The Count Down
Secretly get two known cards, say the two black kings, to the top and bottom of
the pack. Shuffle freely by both overhand and riffle methods, keeping both cards
in position, but creating the impression that it is not possible for you to know the
whereabouts of any card at all.
While shuffling, explain to a spectator that he is to think of any number, say
between one and twenty, that you will then turn away and he is to deal cards to the
number thought of, look at the last one dealt, drop the rest of the pack on top, cut
the deck and carefully square it. When he says he has fixed on a number, repeat
your instructions, hand him the deck, impressing on him to deal carefully, card by
card and turn away. Don't hand the deck to him till the last moment or he may be
tempted to shuffle the cards himself.
When your subject announces that he has done his part, take the pack and run over
the faces of the cards. Watch for the king that was originally on the top. Counting
it as one, continue the count till you reach the card before the king that was
originally on the bottom. That will give you the card and the number thought of.
Do all this as casually as possible, as if merely playing with the cards and all the
time urging your subject to concentrate his thought on the card and the number.
Finally complain that you are not getting a definite impression, take his hand and
press it to your forehead then get the number and the card in the usual mysterious
fashion.
The Six Piles
Any full pack of fifty-two cards may be used. The trick depends on your having
placed secretly six cards of one suit on the top and six more of the same suit on the
bottom. To do this, first run through the cards to see if the full number is there and
discard the joker. Take this opportunity to place several cards of one suit, say
hearts, at the top and bottom. Then say there are several cards which you find it
hard to get a mental impression of and run through the deck to find them. Take out
one card of the suit you have decided to use, in this case a heart, and any three
cards of the other suits. This action will give you ample opportunity to place the
remaining hearts at the top and bottom. Put the four discards and the joker in your
pocket.
Riffle shuffle several times without disturbing the top six and bottom six and, if
you know how to make a false cut, do it. Hand the pack to a spectator and instruct
him to deal six heaps by laying out six cards in a row and then dealing a card on
each in rotation until the pack is exhausted. The result will be six heaps of eight
cards with a heart at the top and bottom of each pile. He is then told to take a card
from the middle of any heap, note carefully what it is and place it on top of any
other pile, squaring the cards carefully so that you can get no clue to what he has
done. Turn your back while he does this.
When he says he has followed your instructions turn and give him pad and pencil
and have him write the name of the card, tear off the sheet, fold it and put it in his
pocket. It is well to do this for two reasons, one is to avoid all chance of the
subject failing to remember his card, and the other to get the company accustomed
to the use of a pad which you may use in some other trick to get the name of a card
by the impression or carbon method.
The piles are assembled by the spectator in any order that he likes, but you see that
each pile is picked up complete. The chosen card will be that one which is
between two hearts. You spread the pack out on the table being careful to have
every card showing. Tell the spectator that you will run your forefinger over the
line of cards and that when it comes over his card he is to think, "STOP! That is
my card!" You do this rather slowly, beginning with the top card of the pack and
mentally count till you come to the chosen card, but do not stop, simply make a
mental note of the card and the number and continue to the end of the line.
Reproach your assistant for not having concentrated on his card and make him
admit that he really didn't think you could read his mind. Gather up the deck and
lay it aside for the moment. Take his hand and tell him to make a mental picture of
the card. Then you name it in the usual hesitating manner. Compliment him on his
success and hand the pack to him. Tell him you will turn your back while he deals
the cards slowly, face down. You turn away and as he deals, you count; when the
number is reach at which the card was in the line you call, "STOP! That is your
card!" He turns it face up and finds it is his card. The slip is taken from his pocket
and the card is verified.
CHAPTER III: The Nail or Pin Marking Principle
Thought Card Discovered
Beforehand, place a small black pin in the lower edge of your vest. Introduce the
trick by having a deck shuffled freely by one spectator and ask another spectator to
think of a card. Hand the deck to him and have him remove the card thought of
and put it face down on the table. Over it he is to spread his handkerchief so that
you cannot possibly get a glimpse of its face.
While this is being done, get the pin between the tips of your second and third
fingers, right hand, point downwards. Put this hand on top of the card, which is
still covered with the handkerchief and your left hand on top of your right. Invite
the spectator to place his hands on yours, explaining that you cannot do a thought
reading trick without contact with the medium. Under cover of this arrangement
push the pin into the top right hand corner of the card, making a tiny raised spot on
the face of the card, invisible to any one not looking for it, but easily found by the
tip of your second finger when dealing the cards.
Having done this, ask the spectator to take the pack, insert the card in it and
shuffle freely. Meantime you drop the pin on the carpet unperceived. When he is
satisfied that his card, (though lost to sight, to memory clear), take the deck and
deal face up, asking him to keep his mind intently on his card but to make no sign
when it appears. When your finger-tip tells you, you hold the thought card, note
what it is but continue the deal with no change of pace. Having dealt the whole
pack without finding the card, accuse the subject of having let his mind wander
from the matter in hand. You insist that the experiment is a genuine one, tell him
you will try again and that if he will cooperate with you, success will be assured.
Let him again shuffle the cards.
Spread the cards face up in a wide row. Grasp his left hand with your left and
sweep your right hand over the cards. Drop it dramatically on his card. He will
then probably be inclined to think that there really is something in this telepathic
business after all.
A Test Discovery
For this mysterious trick an unprepared deck shuffled by anyone may be used.
Make the most of this by having the cards shuffled by several spectators. When
you take the cards back, ask the audience to select someone to help you to avoid
all suspicion of confederacy. This diversion will give you ample time to mark the
lower right hand corner of the top card by pressing it between the ball of your right
thumb above and the nail of the second finger below. The little hump that results
can readily be detected when you deal the cards later. Lay the pack on the table.
Ask the subject to come forward and instruct him thus: first, he is to think of any
number between one and twenty, then he is to deal that number of cards on the
table, take any card he pleases from those remaining in his hands, commit it to
memory, and put it on top of the cards dealt. Shuffle the remaining cards and drop
them on top of the other packet. While he deals, you move around casually, but
you care fully note the number of cards dealt. To further convince everyone that
his card is now lost, let him cut the deck several times, making complete cuts.
Then deal the cards, one by one, into two equal piles, put the heap on which the
last card fell on top of the other one, make another complete cut and finally square
the cards.
Now, take up the pack and as you deal them face up, go over what has been done,
enlarging on the fact that not once did you touch the cards and the impossibility of
finding the card in any other way than by having it named and searching the pack
for it. In the meantime you are feeling each card, as you deal it, for the hump on
the corner of the original top card. When you reach this card deal it on the others,
then pick up all the cards dealt, turn them face down and place them under the
cards in your hands, then put the pack down. You say that your subject's
subconscious mind kept track of the wanderings of the chosen card throughout the
numerous shuffles, cuts and deals and that it will be possible for you to find it by
making contact with his subconscious mind. Grip his hand and urge him to
dismiss all thought of the card from his conscious mind; he is simply to make his
mind a blank.
After a moment or two, announce dramatically that the card lies at a certain
number from the top of the deck. The subject deals to that number and turns up his
card.
The simple rule to determine the position of the card is this. If the subject dealt an
even number of cards before looking at one, divide that number by two and the
resulting figure will denote the position of the card from your key card. If,
however, he dealt an odd number, say, seventeen, divide it as nearly as possible in
half, thus 9 - 8. To the larger figure add 26, one-half the cards in the pack, and the
total, in this case, 35, will give the position of the card. Be careful to have a
complete deck, then if the various steps are carried out correctly the experiment
cannot fail and will remain a mystery, even to magicians who do not know the
principle.
An Envelope Mystery
In this effective experiment, three cards are selected and sealed in envelopes by
the spectators. They concentrate on their cards and you read their thoughts
correctly.
Any three envelopes are used and you hand them to different people. The first one
you don't interfere with, on the second one make a mark by pressing the top right
hand corner between the ball of the right thumb above and the nail of the second
finger below, and on the third envelope make two marks in the same way. Do not
press heavily, a very slight lump can be readily detected by the right thumb when
the envelopes are returned.
Force three cards by any of the numerous methods and, if possible, use a different
method for each card. The first card is taken by the person who holds the
unmarked envelope, the second goes to the person having the envelope with one
mark on it and the third to the holder of the one with two marks. Each is told to
memorize his card, place it in his envelope and close the flap securely. With as
much fuss as possible, have a blindfold tied over your eyes. Any one of the
envelopes is handed to you and you put it to your forehead, holding it by the ends
with both hands. You know at once which envelope it is and therefore what card is
in it and you build up the effect by asking the person to concentrate on his card, to
imagine he sees a large picture of it on the wall, and so on. Act as if the necessary
information comes to you by degrees, make a mistake in the number of spots, or
the suit, then correct yourself. In short, act the part as you think it would be played
if mind reading were a fact, Open the envelope, tearing off the marked end,
remove the card and show it. Repeat with the other two.
A Variation
In a variation of the preceding trick, you mark nine envelopes thus: the first with a
pin prick at the top left hand corner, the second at the middle of the top edge, the
third at the top of the right hand corner, the fourth at the middle of the left side, the
fifth in the middle of the envelope, the sixth at the middle of the right hand side,
the seventh at the lower left corner, the eighth at the middle of the lower edge and
the last at the lower right hand corner. It will require no great effort to identify
each envelope by feeling the little lump on each with the ball of the thumb. Place
them in order, one to nine, on top of the original package of envelopes, and keep
the paper band around it intact.
You have a deck which has been arranged in a certain order according to a
formula that is familiar to you. False shuffle the cards and have several complete
cuts made by spectators. Put the pack on the table and let a subject cut it where he
pleases, lay the cut portion aside and take the top card of the remainder. Instruct
him to memorize the card and put it in an envelope giving him the top envelope of
the package. He puts his card inside, closes the envelope and puts it in his pocket.
Follow the same procedure with eight other spectators, making sure that the cards
go into the marked envelopes in their proper order.
While this is being done you have ample time to get a secret glimpse of the bottom
card of the portion cut off and this gives you the necessary clue to the cards in the
envelopes. You request a spectator to blindfold you in any way he wishes, to
satisfy himself that you cannot possibly see a thing. Then the envelopes are
handed to you in any order and you hold each one to your forehead with both
hands. Do not be in a hurry and don't make any obvious feeling movements with
your thumbs. Each thumb will be in position to feel a mark on the edges of the
envelope in hand. If there is no mark there, remove the envelope from your
forehead for a moment, saying that you cannot get any impression. Take a fresh
grip, bringing your thumb over the middle of the envelope and find the mark as
you raise it to your forehead once more.
Take out each card as read, and show it, crumple up the envelopes and toss them
aside.
CHAPTER IV: The Prearranged Pack Principle
Method of Changing Packs
Many of the best mind reading effects are obtained by having the cards arranged in
a set order which is memorized by the performer. There are two systems in general
use, the "Eight Kings Threatened To Save, 8-K-3-10-2-7", etc., and the Si
Stebbins system. Full details of these are given in various text books on magic. A
third system which is far in advance of either of the aforementioned is the Nicola
System which is fully explained in Nicola's book. This system has many
advantages over the others and is strongly recommended to the student. But
whichever arrangement is used, in order to get the best effect, a deck with the
same back pattern should be first introduced and freely handled and shuffled by
the spectators, then later this deck should be secretly exchanged for the set-up
pack. There are many ways of doing this imperceptibly, a good one being the
following in which the switch is made during the execution of a good trick, in
which you apparently name the card at any number of a shuffled pack.
You have the prearranged pack in your upper right vest pocket. The other deck
with similar back pattern having been shuffled by a spectator, put it in your inside
coat pocket. Invite someone to call any small number, and instantly you name the
top card of the set-up deck in the vest pocket. Draw cards from your coat pocket,
one by one, up to one less than the number called, then take out the top card of the
deck in the vest pocket, but in doing this, insert the fingers in your coat pocket so
that the bulge in the cloth outside is visible to the spectators, and draw up the vest
pocket card with the thumb.
Produce three cards in this manner, laying them aside face up in a pile and keep
the cards from the other deck in a separate heap. Finally pick up this pile with your
left hand and take out the balance of the deck from the coat pocket. At least, that is
what you appear to do, really you drop the cards you have just picked up into your
coat pocket and bring out the prearranged pack from your vest pocket. Drop this
on the three cards left on the table and you have not only done a very effective
mental trick, but you have imperceptibly switched the packs and you are ready to
proceed with any effect for which the set-up is necessary.
The free preliminary shuffling of the ordinary deck by members of the audience
will make it unlikely that any spectator will want to shuffle the cards again. This is
a point which should never be neglected when using a set-up pack.
Partial Set-ups
Mephisto's Message
Arrange sixteen cards of mixed suits on the top of the deck thus: 3, 2, court card,
5, 2, court card, 5, 3, court card, 5, 3, 2, 5, 3, 2, court card, and note the twelfth
card from the bottom of the pack.
To present the trick, write the name of the twelfth card on a slip of paper and seal
it in an envelope. Let a spectator initial this on the outside and put it in his pocket.
Ask another person to cut the deck as nearly as possible in half and hand him the
lower portion to deal and count, to test his accuracy. No matter what the number
may be, you say it is near enough. Counting has reversed the order of these cards
and the noted card is now twelfth from the top. Slip a rubber band around the
packet and let someone hold it.
From the upper packet ask someone else (always have as many of the audience
participate in these effects as possible), to deal off sixteen cards in four piles.
Owing to the arrangement, it will make no difference whether he deals the cards as
in dealing hands for a poker game, or each pile of four separately, the total of the
spots of any pile will amount to twelve. Count the court cards as two, the actual
number of their spots. Any pile is now chosen and while the spots are being
counted pick up the other three heaps, drop them on the pack and shuffle the cards.
Ask the spectator holding the banded packet to deal to the twelfth card and turn it
up. Your prediction is taken out and read aloud. It names that very card.
Thought Card to Pocket
To prepare for this fine effect, take the following cards of different suits: 2, 3, 5, 7,
8, 9, jack and king, and, from another pack with similar backs, pick out the
duplicates of these cards. Place one of these duplicate cards in each of your
pockets with the exception of your inside coat pocket. Memorize the position of
each card. The best way to do this is to put the two in your right coat pocket, the
three in your right trousers pocket, five in lower right vest pocket, seven in the
upper right vest pocket and so on in order, the king going into your left trousers
pocket. A few minutes practice will enable you to find the right pocket the
moment a card is named. Shuffle the other set of eight cards and drop them on the
top of the deck.
To present the trick, take the deck and cut at about the middle, but keep the tip of
your left little finger between the packets. Hold the deck up to a spectator and
spread the eight cards below your little finger tip before his eyes asking him to
mentally select a card. Cover the bottom card with your left hand and do not
expose the faces of any cards but the duplicate eight. Close up the deck, but keep
your little finger in position above the eight cards, and turn away as the spectator
writes the name of his card on a slip of paper.
Quietly, and without moving your elbows, cut the pack at the little finger break,
palm off and put the eight cards in your breast pocket. When the spectator is ready
tell him to fold the slip, put it in the middle of the pack and place both in the card
case. After a few moments of patter about the power of thought transmission, etc.,
let someone take the cards from the case, read out the name on the slip and then
search the pack for the card. Of course it has disappeared (along with all the others
from which a choice was made, but no one else knows that). You take the card
triumphantly from your pocket and throw it down proving that you read his very
thoughts. Take the first opportunity of removing this duplicate card from the deck
and replacing the eight from your breast pocket.
Finding a Number
Beforehand, you have placed on the top of your pack fourteen cards of mixed suits
running thus: joker, ace, then spot cards from two to ten in sequence, jack, queen,
king. False shuffle the deck and deal off fourteen cards, thus reversing the order,
which will run from the king down to the ace, the joker being the fourteenth card.
Invite a spectator to cut the dealt packet and see that the cut is completed. This
may be done as often as desired. Finally cut yourself and note the bottom card as
you do so. The number of spots on it, or if it is a court card, its numerical value,
jack 11, queen 12, king 13, will be your key. Suppose you have cut a four to the
bottom. Instruct a spectator to think of any number between one and fourteen, then
to take cards, one by one, from the bottom of the packet and place them on the top
to the number he has mentally chosen. When he has done this, the fourth card will
give you by its spots the number of cards moved,
The trick may be repeated any number of times so long as the sequence is
maintained. Add the value of the last key card to its position in the packet and you
get the key to the next operation. In the case just given, suppose the fourth card is
a six, add six to four and you know that the tenth card will denote whatever
number of cards the spectator moves next. If none are moved, the joker turns up.
When a total of over fourteen is reached, subtract fourteen, the remainder will be
the new key. If the total is fourteen, secretly sight the bottom card and you can
then read the spectator's mind without first turning a card. If total is fifteen, get a
glimpse of the top card and do the same.
In presenting the trick, you turn your back while the cards are being moved, and
have the subject put the packet on the table before you turn around. Take no notice
of the cards for the moment.
Tell the spectator to concentrate on his number, hold his hand, or place your hand
on his forehead, or go through any other routine you use in pretending to read his
mind. Then confidently announce that you have read the number. To prove the
assertion, take the packet, remove the key card without looking at the faces of the
cards, and lay it face down on the table. The subject names his number and the
card is turned revealing the same number of spots.
Be careful to replace the key card in its proper place in the sequence.
Mental Spelling
Arrange three sets of five cards as follows :-10C..9C..4H..3S..9D -
AC..6S..KH..7S..JD-6C..AH..JS..QH..4D, and put them on the top of your pack.
The first card of each group is spelled with ten letters thus-T E N 0 F C L U B S ,
the next with eleven, and so on, each card taking one more letter. The spelling is
uniform the word "of" being used in each case.
To present the trick, take off three packets with seeming nonchalance, but being
careful to have exactly five cards in each, and lay them on the table without
disturbing their order. Ask a spectator to take any one of the heaps and mentally
note one card. Drop his cards on top of the pack, then take up the other two hands
and put them on top of all. Any one of the five cards from which a mental
selection was made, is now in the right position to be spelled in the usual way, one
card being dealt for each letter, after which the next card is turned up.
As soon as the three sets have been put on top of the deck, a false shuffle should
be made. An easy one is this. Lift the lower half of the deck with your right hand
in the usual way for beginning an overhand shuffle. Slide the first card of this
portion off with your left thumb so that it will project a little at the back of the
cards in your left hand, that is, inwards, towards your body. Shuffle off the rest of
the cards in your right hand freely on top of this, then pick up the cards under the
projecting card and drop them on top. Your set-up cards are again on the top. Lay
the pack down. Instruct your subject to set his mind on his card and proceed with
your pretense of mind reading, hold his hand to your forehead, read his pulse, any
rigmarole you choose, but do it seriously. Announce that you have received an
impression and that you will place the card in such a position as to prove
positively that you have read his mind.
Take the pack and shuffle it, repeating the false shuffle just described, and execute
several false cuts if you can. Then hand the cards to the spectator. Let him name
the card he thought of and spell it out, dealing a card for each letter. The card
following the last letter is turned and proves to be the very card he mentally
selected.
Set-up of Full Pack
Reading any Card Called For
Place a prearranged pack in your inside coat pocket. With the duplicate
unprepared deck force the thought of a card by one of the methods explained on
Page 8 and hand the deck out to be freely shuffled. Take it back and pretend to put
it in your inside coat breast pocket. In reality, you turn your right side to the front
and under cover of your coat put the deck in your upper right vest pocket. Press it
home with your thumb and insert your fingers in the inside coat breast pocket,
pressing slightly outwards so that the bulge in the cloth outside is seen by the
spectators, convincing them that the pack is really put in that pocket.
Draw out the arranged cards one by one, impressing on your subject that he must
think intently of his thought card. Hesitate whenever you produce a card similar to
his, one with the same number of spots but of a different suit, and so on, and
finally bring out the card itself, or really its duplicate. Let the spectator name his
card and then turn over the card you hold.
In placing the cards down as you take them from your pocket lay them face up,
one on the other, so that the pack remains in perfect order for any further
demonstration. It will be noted that this trick provides for another switch by means
of which you get possession of a new set-up deck while doing a trick.
Locating a Page and Word by Cards
For this trick the best set up is the "Eight-Kings" formula, but you omit the court
cards. The spot cards will run thus:-8, 3, 10, 2, 7, 9, 5, 4, 1, 6- repeated four times.
Mix the suits freely and place the court cards at the bottom of the deck.
If the spot cards are cut for the choice of three cards there are only ten
combinations possible as follows:
8-3-10 - 3-10-2 - 10-2-7 - 2-7-9 - 7-9-5 - 9-5-4 - 5-4-1 - 4-1-6 - 1-6-8 - 6-8-3.
Take the total of each group of figures to represent a page and the highest of the
three figures to denote a word and make up a list of ten pages and words from a
book or a magazine. Write each word and page opposite its group of figures on a
small card and put this in your pocket.
To present the trick you take the deck, set up as above, from its case, divide it at
the bottom spot card and riffle shuffle, running the court cards in amongst the spot
cards. Then saying that you are about to have some numbers chosen by pure
chance, you run through the pack and discard the court cards, putting them aside.
Cut the spot cards several times.
Then have a spectator cut the pile and take the next three cards. You sight the
bottom card of the packet cut off the one just over the three selected and at once
you know what the three cards chosen are. Tell the subject to add the spots of the
three cards and to note the number of spots on the highest card, then taking the
first to represent a page and the second a word on that page, hand him the book so
that he can look up both and impress them on his mind. While he does this, you
have all the time you need to palm your list and note the page and word opposite
the combination that has happened to be cut. Then, with much effort, you
announce the word and the page in the usual fashion.
Clairvoyant Reading of Several Cards
Having successfully switched the deck for the one set up, you make a false shuffle
and have it cut several times by spectators. Invite some one to divide it into as
many heaps as he wishes by lifting off a packet and putting it to the right, an other
packet to the right of that, and so on. One packet is then chosen by the spectator
and is covered with his handkerchief. Lift this packet and while wrapping the
fabric round it rather tightly you are enabled to read the denomination of the
bottom card. Put the parcel in the spectator's pocket.
As you gather up the other piles glance secretly at the bottom card of that which
was to the right of the one chosen. The card following this in your formula will be
the top card of the chosen packet. You already know the bottom card so that you
are now in a position to name all the cards in the packet and tell how many cards it
contains. A better procedure is to have yourself blindfolded. Request the subject to
take the parcel from his pocket, take out the cards and look at the top card,
concentrating his thought on it. You "read" the card in the usual fashion. Let him
turn the packet over and mentally transmit the bottom card to you. He "succeeds"
is doing this, and you now tell the name of the card. Next, ask him to count down
to the fifth, or any other number and you read that one too.
Finally ask him to count the cards in his packet and send you the number mentally.
Of course you get it and you congratulate him on his great powers of
concentration.
A Startling Experiment
In this trick, there is no need to introduce the arranged pack by making a switch.
Simply take the pack from its case, false shuffle and cut several times, hand the
deck to a spectator, asking him to cut. Then say casually, "Give the cards a
shuffle," indicating with your hands the motions of an overhand shuffle.
As soon as he has made a few moves of an overhand shuffle, say, "That's fine.
Now put the cards on my left hand and cut anywhere you please." He does this and
removes the top card of the packet remaining in your hand. Take the cut portion
from him and complete the cut. Give him the deck, tilting the rear end upwards a
little as you do so and so getting a glimpse of the bottom card. The card he has
taken is the one following this in your formula.
The spectator pushes his card into the deck anywhere he wishes, squares the pack
and hands it back to you. After the usual by-play, you read his thoughts and name
the card. The trick depends on the fact that you allowed the subject to make a
partial shuffle only, by which the greater number of the cards would still be left in
their set-up order, so that the odds are greatly in your favor. If, by mischance, the
trick fails, lay the blame on your subject, accusing him of not having set his mind
on the card and try again with practical certainty of success.
The principle has just been "discovered" by some of the alleged master
minds of mystery, but it is probably as old as the pre-arranged deck itself. Robert-
Houdin, who flourished just about a century ago, enlarges upon it in one of his
books and further says that gamblers, even in those days, made great use of
arranged packs, thus increasing the odds in their favor, since after very thorough
shuffling some of the cards will remain in sequence.
Novel Card Reading
After having executed several false shuffles and cuts, place the pack behind your
back. Push the cards off slowly and allow a spectator to take any one that he
pleases. As soon as he removes a card, slip the tip of your left little finger on top
of the next card as you turn to face him. Keeping the pack behind your back, cut
the pack at the break and palm the top card in your right hand. That card will be
the one following the card chosen.
Instruct the spectator to note what his card is, then to place it against his forehead
and fix his mind steadily on it. As you say this, bring your right hand forward with
a natural and appropriate gesture towards his head and thus bring the palmed card
directly into your line of sight. Note what card it is, drop your hand behind your
back and replace the palmed card on the pack.
Proceed with your pretense of reading your subject's mind by naming his card with
as much dramatic by-play as you can command.
CHAPTER V: Various Presentations of the One Way Deck Principle
In certain popular brands of playing cards, there are irregularities in the patterns of
the back at each end of the cards. In some instances the margins are narrower at
one end of pack. If such a pack is arranged with the exactly similar ends all
pointing one way, then if a card is turned end for end and the deck mixed, that
card can be picked out with ease and certainty, merely by a scrutiny of the backs.
Even when the difference in the markings is minute, so minute as to be invisible to
the uninitiated, any one knowing what to look for has no difficulty in finding a
reversed card by glancing at the backs. This principle is the basis of some of the
best effects of the so-called mental feats. Perhaps the most useful pack for this
purpose is the brand known as League Bicycle Cards No. 808. In the center of the
back pattern there is a circle and in the circle a winged design made up of three
wings. When the cards are held in one way the center wing will face to the right
hand side, but when a card is reversed the center wing faces to the left. The
marking is so bold that it can be detected at a distance of fifteen to twenty feet if
you know of it and look for it, but the difference will never be noticed by the
uninitiated.
Take a pack of this brand and set the cards with the pointers all one way. Let a
spectator shuffle them, then offer the pack for a free choice. Reverse the pack and
have him push the card in at any point and shuffle again. Under the pretense of
showing him that his card is still in the pack, hold the cards upright before his eyes
and run them over, faces towards him, and count them to yourself as you do so.
When you come to the reversed card, bend the lower left corner up and read the
index, making a mental note of it and the number at which the card stands.
Continue to run the cards to the last one. Ask him if he has seen his card and he
assents.
Lay the pack down and have him blindfold you. He then deals the cards face down
and when he reaches the number you noted you call, "STOP! That card is yours!"
He turns over the card and it proves to be his card.
One of the best ways of applying this principle is this. Having set the cards all one
way, you hand the pack to a spectator to shuffle. Instruct him then to fan the cards
with their faces toward himself, take out one card and lay it face down on the
table. He is then to shuffle the pack again, replace his card and again shuffle. Let
him then hold the pack upright in his left hand, faces towards himself, and take
them off, one by one, with his right hand, removing each one to a distance of
about six inches. When he arrives at his card, you tell him he is to merely think,
"STOP! This is my card!" You impress on him that he must be careful to make no
outward indication of the identity of the card. By the aid of your greatly developed
"mental powers", you stop him when you see he has taken the reversed card. The
strong point of the fea