finds a Jumbo duplicate of the 6 of Spades. Above this card is
PRE-DECKABILITY
written "Except the ......
REQUIREMENTS
EFFECT
A). Any deck of cards will do, even if it is not complete.
Three different predictions are taken from a pad of B. A pad of paper large enough to accommodate a
paper and given out, one to each of three spectators. A deck of Jumbo card on the back cover.
cards is shuffled and cut into two halves.
A spectator cuts a portion from one half, turns it face up,
C. A pen (or felt pen).
and shuffles it together with the other face down half creating a
topsy-turvy condition (a packet of face up and face down
D. A Jumbo card (say the 64).
cards.) The spectator cuts any amount of cards from this face
up and face down portion, turns it over, and shuffles it with the
SET-UP
remainder of the deck which is still face down on the table. The
spectator now cuts a portion from this assembled packet, turns
Glue the Jumbo card on the inside back cover of the
it over, and shuffles it together with the other packet. This
pad and write "EXCEPT THE" on the last page of the pad
cutting and shuffling procedure continues until the spectator
above the card.
feels it is enough and he can continue as long as he wants.
Separate 15 red cards, 7 Clubs and the 6 Spades from
the deck. (See Note 1). Shuffle these 23 cards together,
At the end, the first prediction is read and it says, "There
remember the top card of this packet when it is face down (say
will be 23 face down cards." The spectator counts the face
the JIV) and place this packet face down below the other face
down cards while separating them from the face up cards and
down cards (See Note 2.) ,
finds 231
Keep the pen, the deck and the pad handy.
The second prediction is read and it says, "There will be
PERFORMANCE
15 red cards." From the 23 card packet, the spectator
separates the red cards from the black ones, and counts 15
0
red cardsl
Take out the pad and the pen. Write on the first sheet
the words, "THERE WILL BE 23 FACE DOWN CARDS." Tear
Then the third prediction is read and it says, "All the
out the sheet, fold it and give it to a spectator to hold asking
black cards are Clubs." But alas, among the black cards which
him/her not to look at it until he/she is told to do so.
turn out to be Clubs, is found one lone Spade, say the 6 of
Spades. Apparently the magician has goofed! But, he picks up
.Write on another sheet the words, "THERE WILL BE 15
the pad of paper from which he removed the original three
RED CARDS." Tear out this second sheet, fold it and
predictions, opens it and, on the last page,
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give it to another spectator to hold, giving him/her the same right.
instructions.
Write on a third sheet the words, "ALL THE BLACK
C
CARDS ARE CLUBS." Tear out the sheet, fold it up and give it
to a third spectator. Leave the pad on the table in view all the
time. (While giving out these predictions, avoid flashing the
A B
presence of the Jumbo card, of course.)
Remove the deck from its case and spread it between
Ask a spectator to cut any amount of cards either from
the hands or on the table, showing all the cards mixed. Take
group A or from group B (he/she can start from either packet, it
the deck up and give it any shuffle that leaves the cards in
does not matter) and to place these cards face down at C. The
place. You can mix the two blocks of cards among them, but do
spectator does so.
not switch the positions of the cards of the two groups. In other
words, you can, for example, perform a face up and then a face
Say something about the (obvious) fact that there is no
down Hindu Shuffle. To do this, take the deck face up in the left
way to know exactly the amount of cards cut or the actual cards
hand. The right hand strips out cards apparently from the
cut and placed at position C (true).
middle, but only really taking the original 23 card set-up and
shuffles these cards off. Turn the deck face down and repeat
Ask him/her to turn the cards (at C) over face up, and to
the Hindu Shuffle, taking cards from the upper half (don't go
shuffle these cards with the face down packet on the opposite
beyond the middle.) (See Note 3.) If you want, give the deck a
side. In other words, if the spectator cuts cards from packet A
couple of False Cuts.
to C, after he/she turns them over face up, he/she shuffles
these cards with the (face down) packet B.
Spread the deck face up between the hands and split
Ask him/her to cut any amount of cards from the
the deck at the remembered card taking the whole 23 card
assembled packet at B, turn it over (at C) and shuffle these
group with the right hand and placing these cards face down on
cards with the remaining packet at A.
the table to your right (Group B). Leave the other cards face
down at the left (Group A). (See Note 4.) If you want (and
He/she now must cut any amount of cards from A, turn it
sometimes I do) ask two spectators to- shuffle the two halves
over and shuffle these cards with the bunch of cards at B.
and to replace them in their places.
Control the shuffle so that he/she does not turn the cards in the
wrong way. (See Note 6.)
Imagine that on the table you have three positions as in
diagram below, A, B and C. At position A you have indifferent
He/she can continue doing this as long as he/she wants.
cards, at position B the 23 card group that contains the
The only rule is: always alternate the cut and the shuffle, first
predictions. Position C has nothing at this time but you will use
from one packet, then from another, no matter where you start.
it in a moment. The spectator is on your
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When he/she is satisfied, ask him/her to turn over one of
NOTES
the two packets on the table and here is the only move (if you
want to call it a move) that you need to remember. If he/she
turns over the packet at A (indifferent cards), ask him/her to 1. You will realize right away that any amount of cards
shuffle these cards with the other cards at B which will can be predicted. The set-up of the special group can be
assemble the deck and you do nothing. composed of any amount and any suit/color combination.
2. The set-up can be placed on top, over the other
If he/she turns over the cards at B (special group), ask
indifferent cards.
him/her to shuffle the cards together and assemble the deck.
Then, casually spread the cards showing the face upface down
condition, then turn the deck over and square. Remember, if 3. You can use an Overhand Shuffle to maintain the
he/she turns over the packet at B, you need to turn over the
set-up, giving the illusion that the deck is shuffled. Overhand
deck before proceeding with the predictions. (See Note 6.)
Shuffle the cards in bunches, then singly while approaching
the middle and then in packets until the end. Repeat and the
set-up remains intact.
Ask the first spectator to read the first prediction,
4. To cut to the glimpsed card, you may use any key
"THERE WILL BE 23 FACE DOWN CARDS." Ask the
card (for example, a short card, and then riffle down to it) or you
spectator who shuffled the deck to separate the face down
may have a Joker. Under the pretence of removing the Joker
cards from the face up cards, counting the face down cards
that is not needed, cut the deck as required.
aloud. There will be 23. Your first prediction is amazingly
correct. Keep the face down cards and place the face up cards
5. 1 shuffle the cards after each cut of the spectator, for
aside.
two reasons, First, there is no margin for mistake if I shuffle,
and second (and more important), if the spectator does
Ask the second spectator to read the second
everything, the audience may think that the trick is automatic
prediction. "THERE WILL BE 15 RED CARDS." The spectator
and no credit goes to me! I do not like it! So I prefer to shuffle
counts the red cards separating them from the black and, sure
the cards, very clearly, but giving the impression that I may have
enough, there are 15.
done something.
Ask the third spectator to read the third prediction, "ALL
THE BLACK CARDS ARE CLUBS."Alas, the spectator
6. At the end (Men the spectator is satisfied and stops
checks and among the Clubs he/she will find the 6 Spades.
shuffling the cards and one packet needs to be turned over) I
After some by-play, flip open the pad to reveal your fourth simply turn it over myself, turning over the cards at A and
prediction: "EXCEPT THE 6 Spades" for a true killer! You shuffling them with the cards at B. Do without worrying; it will
pass unnoticed.
cannot follow this with anything else!
7. At the beginning you may have the predictions
already written on the pad and then just tear them off and hand
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sometimes I don't. If I have to decide which is better, I would
prefer to write the predictions in front of the audience. It looks
like it is not too obvious and 'too predictable.'
CONCLUSION
You have on your hands an incredible effect, thanks to
Simon Aronson for his ingenuity. Please, if any of you know, let
me know the originator of the final kicker (a tremendous
applause getter) and we'll give him/her the proper credit.
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