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An Insolvable Mystery - Card Trick
This trick, very kindly given to me by Mr.
Dai Vernon, the famous card expert, breaks new
ground. The effect is that any pack, having been
thoroughly shuffled, is placed in the
performer's hand, which he holds behind his
back, and is then covered with a handkerchief,
in which it is securely wrapped. Any number is
called by a spectator. The magician names a
card. The spectator uncovers the pack, counts to
the number and finds there the card called.
The method is subtle. When the pack is
covered with a handkerchief, in bringing it to
the front, turn the cards face up and sight the
top card's index by stretching the fabric a
little at that point.Hold the pack with the
left forefinger below and the thumb at the index
corner, ready for a riffle count. As you ask the
spectator to name a number, riffle off five
cards. As soon as he calls a number continue the
count till you reach it. Bring your right hand
over the pack and make the pass at that point
under the handkerchief. Turn the deck over,
under cover of wrapping it securely and hand it
to the spectator. All done in a few seconds.
After much pretended mental exertion, name
the card you sighted. The spectator unwraps the
pack, deals cards
to the number he called and
finds there the card you named.
A good presentation is to have the spectator
run over the faces of the first dozen or so
cards after he has shuffled and your pack is
turned, just glancing at the cards and not
trying to remember any of them. When the deck is
covered have him call a number between one and
fifteen, so that the choice, you say, will be
restricted to the cards he saw, really to limit
the thumb count. Explain that his subliminal
consciousness has registered the positions of
the cards and that although he will not be able to
recall them, you will pick up the waves of
cerebration. Impress on him to make no effort to
remember the card, simply to remain passive.
Proceed to name the color, suit and finally the
value.
The thumb count must, of course, be made
noiselessly but it can be done quite
deliberately since the hand is out of sight. I
can recommend this as being one of the most
mysterious feats possible with cards.
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