Pocket

Space
by Anthony Miller

Additional Routines From Actual Users…

© 2008
Additional Routines From Actual Users…
These are formatted in the most part the same way the participants sent them
to me. I hope you enjoy them.

Sanky Paperclip Switch. On your table is a paperclip with a folded playing card.
If they name the right number, they themselves can reach and unclip the cards for the
reveal.
If not, you could perform Jay Sankey’s Paperclipped to switch in the proper card(s).
This way you have the cards on the table before you start and it’s even cleaner looking,
with a chance, you never have to touch the cards, once on the table.
I may be off on this one, but I hope not.
The key will be making the package small enough to be able to do the switch if
needed.
Pocket Space is particularly adaptable to Jay Sankey’s Paperclip Switch.This is a
proprietary effect of Jay’s and is well known in the magic community.

Steve Haynes
Pocket Space is particularly adaptable to Jay Sankey’s Paperclip Switch. This is a
proprietary effect of Jays and is well known in the magic community. I have not
gone into greater detail here, but I think you understand exactly what Steve is
getting at. The prediction card is in FULL VIEW from the beginning! I love this
one!

Hello,Tony:
I bought your Pocket Space a few weeks ago, and have enjoyed thinking around with
it. I know you are receptive to ideas, and so I thought I would pass along a few of my
thoughts.
It seems to me that in your next printing of your Deck Cards you could change the
“special” cards to something like the QS, QC, QH and QD.This would allow someone
to use their Twisted Sisters cards as their special cards and reduce carrying two special
cards in their wallets.
In short, I am thinking that a combination of multiple gaffed cards and reprinted Deck
Cards could reduce the number of cards that you have to carry.
I like this idea, and if there is enough call for it and I might make a small run of them.
John (Gianni) Amalfitano
You speak a number from one through fifty-two.The curious looking
person hands you a card which represents a virtual deck. “I don’t like to
carry playing cards,” the person says. “I’m more of a mind reader and a
soothsayer. So I listed all the cards in shuffled disorder and carry just this
card. Oh - and one other.The one I put in your shirt pocket earlier. By the
way, which card came up at your number?”

You look down at the little card with the numbers and you tell them the
specific card. Or maybe you don’t tell them. Maybe you keep it secret to
yourself.

“Now isn’t that interesting? Aren’t you just a tad interested to know what
card you have in your pocket? Go ahead.Take a look at it.”

You do. It’s the card which you just read.

“I find this much simpler than ‘pick a card’ -- Don’t you? And I’m not much
of a magician, with all that flourishing and show. No, I just like peeking
into people’s minds every so often. It’s a weakness I have.”

That’s the way I’ve been presenting Pocket Space by Anthony Miller the last week or
so (time rationality is not my strong suit). And I’m still not sure if I’m doing mentalism,
mental magic, magic, or weird magic.

It’s a slightly different presentation, I must admit, but the effect lends itself to different
interpretations. One fear I have with Pocket Space, is that people will buy it, perform as
the instructions instruct, and never really make it their own.They’ll be missing a lot.

Because the workings are pretty darned simple.You have to retain a few things in your
mind (Ow! Brain hurt!) which is simple for anyone who isn’t as senile as I.You might
want to carry a wallet, but that’s not really necessary; I’ve performed it a couple of
times with no wallet.

The description in its ad copy (at http://www.rfaproductions.com/products/

pocketspace.htm ) has some folks trying to compare it to Kolossal Killer or to 52-
on-1 -- neither of which is a proper comparison, but there you go.Then again, you can
compare it to an Invisible Deck (and Tony has them shuffle a not-there deck in his
presentation) though I’d call this a virtual deck.
You get the printed cards which show a list of playing cards, representing a well-
shuffled deck. Card #40 might be, for instance, a two of hearts.This, given a poor
performance, can look cheesy.This is why, even if you perform it as magic, I think it
good sense to approach it with a mentalist’s type of thinking.

So there you have it. Another log on the bonfire of the great controversy of “magic
vs mentalism” and it will be your approach which determines which Pocket Space is.
I have the feeling that Annemann would have loved this -- but he never hesitated to
combine cards, magic, mentalism, and weirdness all in one effect.

*jeep!
--Grandpa Chet

Pocket Space ala Marlo

If you are doing this walk around with a jacket on why not have the fifth card in your
jacket breast pocket. And you know the slight which looks like you are pulling a card
from your jacket breast pocket, when really it is palmed........
Well you place the 4 cards in your 2 front pockets of your jacket (2 in each) have the
fifth card protruding from your breast pocket so that everyone can see it.When they
name their number you feel around in both pockets for the `this is my deck’ card. Palm
the appropriate card then remember that it is in your breast pocket. Act as if you are
going to remove it but really push the protruding card down with your thumb so that it
is out of sight and table the palmed card.
If they choose number that corresponds to the fifth card you can just cleanly table it.
This means that it looks like there is only one card in play at any time.
The prediction cards can still just be taken from your wallet.
See what you think
Nice one Tony…
I like this idea because the card could be “visible” in a shirt pocket.
David Goring
I use this in my stage act and it is playing wonderfully! I have the deck cards printed
up on the back of shirts with the name of my show on the front. I have the selected
cards in jumbo size in envelopes.There is another matching shirt with nothing on the
back.The audience sees the assistant with the logo on the front though the show.When
the time comez I have a spectator come on stage and name the number. As soon as
my assistant hears the number, she puts on the proper shirt and comes out with the
envelope. She hands me the envelope and I have her turn her back to the audience.
The spectator finds his card/number on her back.The laughs are build in because she
acts like he is tickling her. I realize this is based on your idea, but presented this way it
is a 5 minutes of good material on stage. I hope you approve.

Magician from France who asked to remain anonymous.

And YES, I do approve! This a great idea. I had not thought of applying pocket
space to the stage, but now I see how easily it can be done!

Tony,
Thank you for sending Pocket Space. I think you’ve got a real winner on your hands.
I’ve only done it a few times so far, but plan on getting some major use out of it this
weekend.
While your instruction don’t call for a special wallet, I’m more comfortable using a
gimmicked wallet (Bombshell). I introduce the premise of doing a card trick/”bar bet”
not with a deck, but with just two cards. And I’ve gotten so good at it that I’ll even risk
$5! At this point I flash the “deck card” and a $5 bill, and then close the wallet.
I go through the invisible deck procedure and have them cut the ‘cards’ and arrive at
a number. Once I know the cards I need to retrieve from the wallet, I get them, close
the wallet and then ‘remember’ the $5. I open the other side of the wallet getting a
different $5 bill (although they don’t know it’s different) and subtlety flash the empty
wallet.
While I’m sure some would think this is unnecessary and simply ‘magician’s guilt’, I’d
think it blocks a very logical path that spectators could backtrack through.
You seem to be getting some great responses and I’m enjoying playing with it.Will send
more notes later if you want.
I have tried this in various bars and I must admit it plays really well. Cool idea!
Again, thanks.
Jeff Eline
I have tried this in various bars and I must admit it plays really well. Cool idea!
Tony,
Thanks for sending the copy of Pocket Space. I like the idea -- I think it’s pretty clever!
I do have a couple of thoughts on it:

1. I agree with the poster on the Cafe who commented on the quality of the “decks”,
though “cheap” is not the word I would use. Cheesy is probably a better word. I think
that having it glossy on both sides would be an improvement. The “cosmic” design is
the cheesiest part, in my opinion, though. I’d probably go for something much simpler.
One thought is to design it like it’s the box from a regular deck (the side where it says
“Bicycle”, for example), the gag of course being that it’s NOT a full box, but only a
single card, with the deck on the opposite side. I’m likely going to print up my own
“decks” based on my thoughts in the rest of this e-mail. If I find a design that I think is
better, I’ll certainly send you a copy.

2. Further on the “deck” cards, I know the main setup has them in the bill portion of
the wallet, but if you want to put them in the credit card slots, it’s very difficult. The
cards are just a little too wide. I’d suggest making them match the actual dimensions
of a regular credit card, if possible.

3. On the memory work:Your current setup is pretty simple, but there is still a
bit of thought involved. That would probably change with adequate practice and
performance; however, I would suggest the following change: Use five target cards
rather than four. The target numbers would be 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, ..., 44,
46, 48. This does two things. First, it allows for a greater range of numbers (39 as
opposed to 31). Secondly, it makes the memory work dead easy. The first digit will tell
you directly which “deck” to use: if it’s in the tens, use deck 1, in the twenties, use deck
2, in the thirties, deck 3, etc. The second digit indicates which target card: just divide by
two (this may make more sense to my computer programmer mind, since it would be
0, 1, 2, 3, 4).

No thoughts on the revelations yet, but I like some of the ideas that have come out so
far (the t-shirt, the forehead, Bruised, etc.) Certainly the revelations that give a sense
of permanence, such as those mentioned is best. As I’m writing this, I recall a Derren
Brown idea of a cigarette lighter that is engraved with the queen of hearts on one side
-- he has them stare into the flame and imagine their thought of card, and then later
shows them the engraving. With him it was a psychological thing, but this could easily
be done with one of the target cards -- it’d be great when they hit it exactly, but it’s
easy enough to switch to a different revelation if they didn’t hit that card.
Jim and I later spoke. I had already considered the fifth card idea… But arranging it in
the wallet stumped me… Jim came up with the simple and elegant solution now used.
Jim Maloney…
From Jeff Eline:

Jim, that’s a great idea! I like that alot. It would certainly open up the range of numbers
and make the memory ALOT easier.

I’ve been toying with a David Regal idea he had in Constant Fooling (?). It’s his take on
the old chestnut of having a prediction in his wallet (ungimmicked).The person deals
down a deck and stops when they want and it matches the prediction.

The working is that there are four predictions - the four 7’s let’s say.The deck is
stacked so that the four 7’s are 6th, 8th, 10, & 12th on the deck.The spectator won’t
go past the 12th card because of the patter (and if he does there is an out.)

Anyway, the predictions are spread throughout his wallet: one with his pictures, one with
his family, one with his credit cards, one with his money, one with his SAG card.There’s
also a patter line in the very beginning about the prediction card is kept with something
very valuable (Kids, Money, Credit cards, membership card or whatever).

I tell you that because the handling of the five cards could be handled similarly.The
“Deck” cards could all be together with the cash, and the five predictions could be
throughout the wallet. Maybe even mini cards.The five cards could be in Si Stebbins
order for ease in remembering them.

Anyway, having fun with it.Thanks for sharing!

From Derrick Chung:

Jim,

I think that the memory work can and therefore should definitely be simplified, as the
effect does not suffer because of it.Your solution is the nice and “obvious” (well, obvious
after the fact) one. As a mathematician / computer scientist, the lines I think along are
probably closely-aligned to yours. I do not think the extra range you get here is that
important (for most uses anyway), but since it’s free, I’ll take it.

And I like your solution of just putting the fifth card along where the deck cards are.
Really I can think of tons of solutions depending on the wallet. In my wallet, I’ve got two
bill compartments. I’m not sure what it’s original purpose was, but it neatly separates
Canadian and US money. So for me, I’ve got tons of options. However, I see that Tony
needs a solution that he can sell to the general public.
On the other hand, it looks like Tony has solved it. I’m curious what his answer is.
Depending on what it is, he could ostensibly use 5 deck cards, and pretty much get
every number, which is definitely overkill, but if you can without hurting yourself, why
not. And if he throws the extra deck card in the package, people can choose themselves
whether they want to bother using it or not.

Oh and the range actually increases to 40 from 32. :-)

That’s all I gotta say about that, but I figure I’d share some other things I’ve been
thinking about regarding the trick.

Personally, the idea of the deck cards is what’s more useful to me. Since I’m not afraid
of some sleight of hand (I know it’s hard to believe), if i was gonna use this baby, I’d
probably pocket index the cards (for impromptu, probably all 5 in my back pocket with
the third card width-wise to make for an easy grab), elsewhere and steal out the proper
card as I “look” for the deck card which I happen to find in my wallet.

Now as they look at the deck card, I can load that card wherever my heart desires: in
my mouth, under a glass, etc.

For a slightly less practical version, I’d somehow clip the five cards inside my pants and
fish the right card out through my fly. And it works just as well with double-facers here
because nobody would really want to examine the card. Hmmm, I may actually use this
version.

Best,
Derrick

Effect: The Magician explains he always carry’s a deck of cards around with them
for whenever they need it…now the spectator is asked to believe they were the worlds
number one Gambler in the world, and could just cut to any amount of cards they
wanted…they do this…and cut to…32 cards…the Magician brings out his wallet to
prove he had a deck of cards in there…and brings out a business card with the words
‘This is my deck of cards’…the audience laughs until the Magician turns it around to
see…all 52 cards!! The Magician admits it was a joke…and a REAL deck of cards
appears from his wallet! He opens up the deck and places it onto the table.The
spectator is asked to look at which card was on their freely chosen number…it was
the 6 of Clubs…the Magician cleanly counts down to the 32nd card…it IS the 6 of
Clubs!!!
I have always loved the idea of making the spectator think I have a full deck of cards
in my wallet, and loved to show the 52 on 1 card, and whilst they were reacting I would
produce a real deck from it, and it fitted perfectly to the opening of this…but I needed
a reasoning to bring out a deck of cards as well…I also knew that the effect was
similar to an ACAAN, and as soon as that was in my head…this idea came to me, and
leaves for a very clean ACAAN! Enjoy!
Method: Remove the four cards which are needed usually to be in your wallet.This
effect means you don’t need to carry the playing cards in the wallet, only the business
cards.The cards are placed in order that they are in the business cards E.g. JH, 6C, 8D,
AC with the AC on the face.Turn these face up so they are facing you, so you can see
the AC, and place three indifferent cards underneath face up as well…then place the
deck face down on top of this small set up. So from the top down of the deck…43
face down cards (not including jokers), face up joker, face up joker, face up AC, face up
8D, dace up 6C, face up JH, face up X card, face up X card, face up X card…
Now, if I say ‘Barrie Richardson’s ACAAN’, I am sure most of you would stop reading my
description from here and already be waaaaay ahead of me. As that is basically all you
are going to do. Barrie’s ACCAN is brilliant, and works perfectly for this, but will require
a little more thought than Barrie’s version.
Basically, you know the number and the card as soon as it is named via normal
handling of pocket space. So, lets say, someone names 30…already, we know that
the number is 30, and the card is the JH, so we are already waaaay ahead of our
audience. In this case, the JH has been named, and it is the fourth card down if the
deck was turned over, so just our small reversed pack was in play. So all you have to
do is subtract 4 from the number they named…which was 30 if you remember in this
example, which gives us 26…so on 26, is when you do Barrie’s handling of turning the
dealt cards face up, whilst secretly turning over the cards in your hand…
Now, if someone named 36…now…that will mean the AC has been chosen. So, that
is the third card out of our 4 ‘force’ cards as they were…however, that is also 6 cards
from the reversed section…so you need to take 6 cards away from the chosen number,
which gives us 30, so on 30 you do the move…
Hopefully now that is making some sense…just a small bit of extra mental work on
your part for a very clean ACAAN.
As for the deck of cards out of wallet, you literally steal it from your pocket or top of
your trousers whilst your are giving the spectator the 52 on 1 card (Pocket space card)
and hide via the open wallet, as the wallet is still open due to having just removed the
card…so you steal it, all attention is on the Pocket space card, no heat on you or the
wallet, so you make the steal, whilst everyone is looking at the card, show your right
hand empty which has just given them the card, and come back and just lift the cards
up and away from the wallet, producing a deck. Obviously you can produce the cards
anyway you like, and without seeing this version, it might be hard to imagine, but it
really isn’t hard, and with an open wallet taking up more space, it really is easy and
well covered.
Enjoy! Christopher Williams
 Hello Tony! I have been working through your effect and have been getting great
reactions. Thanks so much for sending this to me. Here are a couple of thoughts I’ve
had on this so far...
1. I had the “Deck Cards” laminated so that they will stay clean and be much stronger
( won’t get beat up so quickly).
2. In order to eliminate the wallet, I have tried my jacket pockets... Loading the
appropriate cards to different pockets. Spectator reaction has been just as strong, since
they don’t know what’s coming when I retrieve the cards necessary to finish the effect.
3. I have also thought through a way to present this on Stage. An Assistant would bring
out the required enlarged “Deck Card” as well as the corresponding enlarged Playing
Card (Could be sealed in an envelope, for a more stunning revelation). Of course, the
Magician would have to let the assistant in on the inner workings...but I believe this
could be made into a larger presentation.
MarkWilliams

Pocket Space-Thought of Card to Card Case by Jeff Pierce

A spectators thought of card appears inside a previously empty card case.
Needed: Pocket Space, 4 empty card cases.
Setup: In the four empty card cases place one each of the four “deck cards”. Place
the one deck and the two decks in one pocket, and the three and the four decks in the
other. Place the four key cards in a front pocket where you can easily get to them.
Performance: Begin the routine as normal by turning your back and having your
spectator shuffle and cut the invisible deck and name how many cards they cut off.
As you turn around, reach into the appropriate pocket and remove the case with the
correct deck inside it.
Say “This is my magic deck of cards.” Open the case and slide the deck card face
down onto the spectators’ hand.
Say “No really, see it says right there. I’m going to turn around again and I’d like you to
turn that card over and look for the name of the card that corresponds to the number
of cards you cut from your deck. I want you to simply think of that card, don’t say it out
load, just think of it.Tell me when you are thinking of your card.”
Turn back around and remove the selected card from your pocket and insert it into
the card case. Close the case and wait until they tell you they are thinking of a card.
Turn back around and casually throw the case on the table, as if you are discarding
something you no longer need.
Re-state what has happened so far. Have them announce their thought of card. Allow
them to pick up the card case, shake it and hear that there is something inside the
case.They open the case to find their thought of card has appeared inside the case.
The End
By Jeff Pierce

When performing Pocket Space I like to show the spectator one of the playing
cards and one of the Deck cards before I begin the actual effect. By doing this I am
reinforcing in the spectator’s mind that the cards I take out of my wallet at the end
of the effect are the same ones they saw at the beginning. This subtlety also further
convinces the spectator that I only have two cards in my wallet. I actually let the
spectator handle the Deck card at the beginning, and even if they see one of the other
Deck cards at the end they will not notice the minor discrepancy of the four special
cards being in different locations. Here is how I accomplish this in a way that will look
natural to the spectator…
The Deck card and playing card you show to the spectator doesn’t really matter, but
I find it easier to use Deck card 4 and the Ace of Clubs. To begin, setup the cards in
your wallet as instructed in the original handling. Next, take the Ace of Clubs and put
it in between Deck cards 3 & 4 which should be located on the left side of the wallet
in front of the paper money. That’s the only change you have to do for the setup. By
positioning the Ace of Clubs in between Deck cards 3 & 4 you can easily remove the
Ace of Clubs and Deck card 4 with one hand. This works because the Deck cards
are a smaller size than the playing card which allows you to avoid grabbing Deck
card 3 since the playing card acts as a separator. I find that pulling both cards out as
one looks more natural and less suspicious compared to pulling a card out from two
different locations. You don’t have to worry about this when you pull the cards out the
second time since the spectator is already convinced you only have two cards.
Remove these two cards from your wallet keeping the back of the playing card towards
the spectator. You can tell the spectator that the playing card is a prediction or
whatever you want. I hold my wallet and the playing card in my right hand and I hold
the Deck card in my left hand. Talk a little about the Deck card as you hand it to the
spectator to examine briefly. As they look at the card you can casually put the Ace of
Clubs back into its proper position on the right side of the wallet in front of the Eight of
Diamonds. Now this is the point where you should say something along the lines of,
“I’ll tell you what, let’s try something.You’re going to need both hands for this...I’ll just
put this away for right now.”
As you say this take the Deck card back from the spectator and put it back into its
proper position in the wallet in front of Deck card 3. You can then put the wallet back
in your pocket or on the table. The justification for putting the card back into the wallet
is to free up the spectator’s hands so that they can shuffle and cut the invisible deck
of cards. As long as you emphasize that they mime the actions involved with shuffling
and cutting the deck this will actually seem like a logical thing to do. It also helps if
you mime the actions of shuffling and cutting as you instruct the spectator.This gives a
reason why you are not holding the cards in your hands.

Once you put the cards back into the wallet you can continue with the original routine.
One important thing to note is that you should include some of your own patter once
you have the cards put away. This patter is important because of the time misdirection
it provides. If you put the cards away and then have the spectator immediately cut the
invisible deck and name a number without any additional patter, it might look a little
strange because you would have to pull the cards back out of the wallet too quickly.
Your patter can be anything you feel comfortable with as long as it delays the removal
of the cards from the wallet.
I have performed Pocket Space using this handling many times and it works like a
charm. Just make sure everything flows and don’t go through the routine too quickly
and you shouldn’t have any problems.

Matt Pitcock

Well, there were a lot of others. But a limited amount of

space… So I hope you enjoy this. I certainly have.

Anthony Miller

www.rfaproductions.com