The Zero Memorization Memorized Deck
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The Zero Memorization Memorized Deck
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The Zero Memorization Memorized Deck
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The Zero Memorization Memorized Deck
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The Zero Memorization Memorized Deck
Phase 1: Missing in Action
The cards are mixed up. A card is removed from the
deck. The magician passes through the deck briskly and
names the missing card.
Phase 2: Crowd Control
The magician glances at the deck and memorizes it. A
card is placed by the spectator into the middle of the
deck. The deck is then cut several times. The magician
finds the one card out of order.
Phase 3: Call-out
The deck is cut several times again. The spectator cuts
to the middle and turns over one card. The magician
looks at that card and calls out the values of the rest of
the deck.
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The Zero Memorization Memorized Deck
So what s so special about the Zero
Memorization Memorized Deck?
How about the fact that you ll be able to perform a
memorized deck routine for your audience without any
memorization?
Does it use marked cards?
Nope. You can use any deck to perform the routine.
Does it involve a stack?
Yes, but not one you ll have to remember.
Does it involve some mnemonic device
to remember the order of the stack?
Nope! You aren t required to memorize anything you
don t already know. Trust me, this one is a cinch.
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The Zero Memorization Memorized Deck
The Effect
I ve always been interested in the way audiences perceive
magicians and their abilities. How much do they attribute
to sheer skill and how much to technology and trickery?
In my observations, people tend to think that some of us
possess abilities that border on the super-normal. Some
magicians might argue that this is a failure. If people
attribute natural causes (albeit extreme) to our magic,
then we ve failed to convince them that we re supernatural.
I strongly disagree with this viewpoint. After all, my goal
is to entertain and not to start a cult. Magic purists forget
that magic is still entertaining when audiences know it s
not real. To be honest, that s what makes it more
entertaining. People don t go see David Copperfield so
they can talk to their dead parent. They go see frauds for
that.
If you agree that s okay that the audience doesn t have to
be convinced that your abilities are paranormal in nature,
you re free to think about entertaining them in a broader
way. The Zero Memorization Memorized Deck routine is
not presented as a  magic trick. It s offered as a
demonstration of your incredible mental abilities.
Everything you show your audience could conceivably
be done by someone with extreme powers of memorization
and calculation. Like a fancy card flourish or juggling
skill, the goal is to entertain them by demonstrating some
incredible ability you ve developed.
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The Zero Memorization Memorized Deck
The phases in the routine are laid out in a particular order.
They re set up in a way that builds to a certain climax.
Each one reinforces the next one. They re laid out in the
same order in which you d really demonstrate your
incredible talent. First you show them that you can deduce
what card is missing from a deck by taking one pass
through the cards. Second, you explain that you have
managed to memorize the cards and can now spot which
card is out of sequence. Finally, you have a spectator cut
the cards and turn over one card. You look at that card
and proceed to name the rest of the cards in the deck.
By the third phase you ll have created a powerful
impression. To your audience, the logical conclusion is
that you are a man of your word and have indeed
memorized the deck. The real trick is one they ll never
know, you didn t use anything resembling an exceptional
memory. All it took was one force and a bit of bravado to
pull it off. That s magic.
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The Zero Memorization Memorized Deck
The Secret
The secret behind performing this effect is a card stack
that you have memorized. Before you demand your money
back, let me explain that you don t actually have to
memorize anything. You already have the stack
memorized. The card stack is your phone number. You
already know this number. To a random spectator your
phone number is a random sequence of digits. To you,
it s a ten-digit number you can recall at any time without
having to think about it. If you can call out the ten digits
in your phone number, you re all set to perform a few
miracles.
Using a phone number as a way to  memorize a series of
numbers has been used in other stacked deck effects for
years. The goal of this routine is to streamline the process
and make it almost fool-proof.
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The Zero Memorization Memorized Deck
What about the suits?
What suits? Forget about the suits. The first part of this
routine sets up the idea that you can name the value and
suit of any missing card in a deck of cards. After that,
when you name cards you ll just name the values. The
audience will remember that you named the card
(including the suit). They ll forget that after the first phase
you just named values. Every time I do this effect my
audience is left with the impression that I named the value
and suit of every card. I don t try to convince them
otherwise.
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The Zero Memorization Memorized Deck
The number
The stack of ten cards is repeated so that you have a total
of 20 cards. If your phone number repeats a digit more
than twice you ll want to use your cell phone number
instead or your home phone and your cell phone number.
If your phone number is 953-476-1243 the stack would
be (use any suit you like  you don t have to remember
it): 9C 5H 3D 4D 7S 6H AD 2C 4S 3C 9D 5C 3S 4H 7C
6D AS 2S 4C 3H (an Ace is a 1).
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The Zero Memorization Memorized Deck
Making the stack
Pick up a deck of cards and place ten cards into the
same order as your phone number. To make things easy,
queens are zeros. Starting with your area code, deal
your phone number face up onto the table. When you
are finished you should have a face up stack of cards.
Now go through the deck again and deal your phone
number on top of that
Place this stack of 20 cards on top of the deck. The top
card should be the first digit of your phone number.
Your stack
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The Zero Memorization Memorized Deck
Practice run
Pick up the deck and call out the first number of your
phone number. Turn over the top card and lay it face up
on the table. Recite the rest of your phone number as
you turn over cards. Repeat. Look at that pile of cards
you just made. Impressive. You re a genius. You just
memorized a 20-card stack. Do you feel smarter? Put
the stack back on top of the deck. You re ready to begin&
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The Zero Memorization Memorized Deck
Phase one
Pull out a deck of cards with the stack on top. Tell your
audience that you would like to demonstrate a little bit of
intellectually dexterity. Hand a spectator the bottom half
of the deck (under your stack). Ask them to mix their
stack. Cut your cards several times but don t shuffle
them. Let them shuffle their cards to their heart s content.
Tell them to look at their cards and make sure that they re
mixed up.
As they do this, look at your cards. Cut your cards so that
your cards are back in the 20 number sequence  with
one exception put one card on top of your stack.
Remember this card. You re going to force this card on
the spectator. For demonstration purposes we ll say it s
the Jack of Hearts.
Take the spectator s stack and place it on top or under
your stack depending on what kind of force you want to
use. I place their stack under my stack so I can do a slip
force. If I wanted to use a classic force I d place their
stack on top and keep the break.
Force the card you looked at on the spectator. Tell them
not to look at it. Have them put it into their pocket or the
card box. It s important that they don t look at it. This will
create more suspense.
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PHASE ONE
The Zero Memorization Memorized Deck
Cut the cards a couple times. Explain that you are going
to find their card by going through the cards one-by-one
and looking for whichever card is missing. Ask them to
try this with you. This is important. It ll show them how
frickin difficult it really is. Every now and then you ve
probably had a spectator tell you that s how you
accomplished your card tricks  by looking for the missing
card. Obviously you do magic for fun because you made
millions as a card-counter is Vegas.
Holding the deck face down, turn over the top card and
place it face up on the table. Repeat with the next card.
Start kind of slow with the first couple cards. Then go
really quickly. You ll actually watch the spectator s face
contort as they try to keep track of the cards. They ll
invariably give up and look up at you. Smile and keep
dealing cards down.
While you do this, keep track of where your stack starts.
That s all you have to worry about. You already know the
name of their card. The rest is just acting.
Once you ve dealt all the cards on to the table you re
going to reveal their card like this (assume for the moment
you forced the Jack of Hearts):
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PHASE ONE
The Zero Memorization Memorized Deck
 There are definitely 51 cards there. Which means you
did pick a card. But I guess we already knew that. I
counted 26 black cards and 25 red cards. That means
the missing card is red. There were only 12 hearts so that
means it was a heart. I m pretty sure I only saw three
jacks. So that would make your card the Jack of Hearts.
Take a look.
While they take out the missing card, pick up the deck
and cut the 20-card stack to the top (this moment offers
perfect distraction).
Once they ve acknowledged that you were correct, you re
ready to move on. A smug smile wouldn t be out of place.
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PHASE ONE
The Zero Memorization Memorized Deck
Phase two
You ve laid out the premise for your routine and now you ve
offered the first evidence to build your case. The next
step is to take it up a notch. The 20-card stack should be
on top of the deck.
Explain to your audience that while you were looking for
the missing card you managed to get a pretty good idea
of the order of the whole deck. You d like to try to
demonstrate this by seeing if you can find one card that s
been moved within the deck.
Spread the cards and have the spectator take a card from
the bottom half (not from your stack). Tell them to look at
the card. Ask them to return the card. Start spreading
the top 20 cards so they put their card into the stack. Ask
them to cut the cards. Cut the deck a couple times yourself
(this rules out that you counted the position of the card).
Turn the cards face up and look for your stack. You re
going to look for the one card that is out of place in your
stack. Once you find it, put it face down on the table. If
you have two identical values in a row and one of them is
their card, ask them to name the suit. Place that card
face down on the table. This will look like a  hit because
it only looked like you were confirming what you already
knew.
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PHASE TWO
The Zero Memorization Memorized Deck
Cut the stack to the top. Ask the spectator to turn over
the face down card. As they do this, cut the cards in half
so the stack now starts at approximately 26th or 27th from
the top.
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PHASE TWO
The Zero Memorization Memorized Deck
Phase three
This is the closer. This is the part that cements the idea
that you have Hannibal Lecter-like mental abilities. This
is where you become kind of scary.
Set the deck on the table (the stack now starts at the
middle). Ask a spectator to cut the deck exactly in half
and set the top aside.
They ll either cut a couple cards above or a couple cards
below where the stack starts (or exactly there). Either
way is fine. Pay close attention to how deep they cut. If
it looks like a little below where the stack starts you re
fine. If they cut a little bit above, tell them to move a
couple cards to make the stacks even.
Have them turn over the top card. Chances are this will
be either the first or second card of your stack. Tell them
the next value in your stack. Have them turn over the
next card. If it matches, skip the next paragraph.
If you get it wrong, say  I think we re one or two cards off.
I believe the next card is (name the first card in your
stack). Turn over the next card. This should be the first
card in your stack (provided the deck was cut evenly). If
you miss again, have them turn over another card. If you
misjudged their cut you might have to go a couple more
cards. (Put the blame on the cards not being cut exactly).
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PHASE THREE
The Zero Memorization Memorized Deck
Call out the remaining numbers to your phone number,
letting the spectator turn over the cards. Pause at this
point. In one hand pick up the cards the spectator was
dealing from. In the other hand gather the face up cards
on the table. Place them face down under the packet
that has the rest of your stack (after the next step this will
make it look like you named every card in that pile). Look
straight at the spectator and call out the next value. Turn
that card over and throw it face up on the table. Race
through the rest of the stack.
When you reach the end of your stack reach for the other
face down packet, but don t actually pick it up. Say,  I
could go through these, but I think I made my point.
Take a smug bow.
Note: You can reset the stack as you gather up the cards.
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PHASE THREE
The Zero Memorization Memorized Deck
Closing
This effect is all about theatre. There s only one genuine
sleight (the force). The entertainment comes from the
presentation. You need to act like someone who really
possesses this ability. It shouldn t be a  ta-da kind of
moment. You re just acting like a super-genius on
Jeopardy.
Avoid looking at the cards when you re doing the revelation.
This is what will make it look like a feat of memory. Try not
to go too quickly, but a brisk face really drives the point
home.
Last, I should warn you that if you do this effect a few
times you ll create a reputation that you can t live up to. I
have a high school teacher that talks about my amazing
memory based upon something I did ten years ago. That
may sound cool, but it s a difficult reputation to live up to
when people go,  Hey, you re that memory guy! And
can t even remember where you put your car keys.
Best,
Andrew Mayne
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The Zero Memorization Memorized Deck
FAQ
What about other stacked deck methods?
They re great. From the Si Stebbins to Docc Hilford s
Cassandra Deck, there are lots of fantastic stack deck
effects. The point of the Zero Memorization Memorized
Deck effect is to simplify things. A stack deck is a powerful
effect in the hands of someone who spends the time to
master it. This is an alternative for those of us that would
like to perform something as powerful as that, but have
all those Stargate SG-1 episodes on DVD to catch up
with.
I ve learned half a dozen stacked methods, I always ended
up performing my Zero Memorization method because it
was the easiest one to remember and stay proficient with.
I ve watched pros blow their stack (literally) when they
forgot a card onstage. Who needs that kind of stress?
The Zero Memorization Memorized Deck is my lazy
alternative.
If more complex system intrigues you, by all means go
learn one. Many magicians pick them up. Only a few
end up mastering them and making them part of their
working repertoire. There s a very good reason why;
they re easy to forget.
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The Zero Memorization Memorized Deck
Isn t using my phone number
memorization?
Did I ask you to memorize anything you didn t already
know? Sheesh.
Can I use a number besides my phone
number?
Sure. Use any number you like. You can stack the whole
deck with numbers you know. There s your address. Your
Social Security number. The list goes on. I chose a
phone number because it s a 10-digit number that
everyone over the age of five should know.
Won t people notice that it s the same 10-
digit number repeated?
Not unless they re Rain Man. I ve never had that happen.
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The Zero Memorization Memorized Deck
Andrew Mayne is the author of several dozen books and
manuscripts on magic. He s toured world-wide with his illusion
show and can currently be seen on television in Wizard School.
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The Zero Memorization Memorized Deck
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The Zero Memorization Memorized Deck
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