Foreword

Wayne Dobson is a remarkable man.

He inspired me from a young age and along with millions of others, I

watched his, now famous, Royal Variety performance and subsequent rise
to fame with his TV shows. I was and still am, in awe of his superb timing,
humour and performance skills,

Aged 13, I had the luck to see him perform live at a family friend’s party.
The card he signed for me is still kept safely among my treasures.

Many years after this I met Wayne in person. We became friends and I have
spent some wonderful hours with him and his lovely wife Marianne.

What strikes me is that his material has always been consistently brilliant
and despite his severe health setbacks, where others would find restrictions
Wayne finds new opportunities.

Several of the routines you’ll read in this book can be totally hands off. For
Wayne it needs to be, but for most of us we would be tempted to mess
with the handling and add cuts, shuffles and flourishes. My suggestion
is DON’T! Keep these routines ‘Hand’s Off’ and just see how much more
unfathomable they become for the lack of ‘secret moves’. All of the routines
in here have the ability to create an extraordinarily strong impact.

The essence of a marked card is to allow us to see what others can not.
It gives us the edge. It gives us secret information. Of course, what we do
with this information can be useless or epic. Within these pages you’ll only
find the epic.

Nick Einhorn
May 2013
 Introduction
Intro duction
If used correctly, one of the most powerful tools in card magic is the marked
deck. In this new compilation, I have included 8 routines – all of which
have been tried and tested and I can honestly say they are real killers!

I always have a marked deck in use, even if I don’t need it. I personally use
the Ted Lesley marked deck. However, any marked deck can be used. I had
my marked deck made for me using 3 mm white rub down letters because
now I am over 50 years old, the slightly bigger letters are much easier to
read.

I’ve had lots of fun performing the tricks in this new collection, and I know
that you will too.

Best wishes

Wayne Dobson 2013

Contents

Wayneman Duplicate

AFCAAN... Almost Double Personality

Invisible Lie Detector Spellcheck

Think As I Think Identity

 WAYNEMAN
I must tell you the history of this trick! Whilst checking out the website
of Alakazam I saw a trailer for a DVD by Joseph Barry and on it he did
an excellent trick called Rainman , which really fried my brain. I thought
about it for the whole night, and eventually (via Facebook) I contacted the
producer of these DVD’s Peter Nardi, who happens to be a good friend
of mine. In my message I said, quote: “Please put me out of my misery
and tell me how Joseph Barry does Rainman?” Unquote: the message
I got back said, quote: “He’s good, isn’t he?” Unquote: he was obviously
leaving me to roast all night (Bastard). Eventually I got a reply with the
explanation, and I thought to myself ‘that is really clever’. However, the
more I thought about it, the worse it got, as I realised the explanation was
not helping me – I just gave up. Then about a week later, I came up with
a hands off version of what I had seen. Note: the following trick is not,
I repeat is not an improvement, in fact it is nowhere near as good as
the original, it is just a slight adaptation and my way of doing something
similar to what I had seen. However, I was quite surprised by the reaction
it received from the couple of magicians that I showed it to, and it really
fooled them.

Required

A marked deck. Note: for the 99.99% of you that can use your hands, you
don’t need a marked deck, you just need to glimpse the top card, however
I think the marked deck makes the effect much cleaner?

Performance

Have the deck shuffled and either via the marked deck or glimpsing you
note the top card of the deck (let’s assume it is the four of spades).

You now ask the spectator to think of any number between one and 52.
Note: at this point I will say you can choose any number - but remember,
in a moment I am going to turn my back and you are going to count down
one card at a time to that number, so bear in mind when you think of
your number we haven’t got all night, so why don’t you think of a number
somewhere between 10 and 30. Let’s assume they are thinking of 18? You
say, whilst your back is turned they are to deal, one at a time that amount
of cards onto the table and when they have done this they are asked to
tell you. When they tell you that they have finished dealing, you ask them
to pick up the dealt cards and drop them back on top of the deck and they
are to tell you when they have finished.

Then, you turn around and ask him to spread the deck face up on the
table. You are now looking for the four of spades as you tell them that you
are memorising the whole deck. You also take note of the card to the left
(before) of the four of spades (let’s assume it is the nine of hearts).

You now ask them to gather up the deck and turn it face down. Note:
what you (they) have now done is to put the four of spades into position
18, and because you have had a slight time delay, this procedure passes
unnoticed.

You say, “I have now memorised which cards are in which position
in the deck so would you please tell me the number that you are
thinking of and I will tell you which card lies in that position.” You now
ask for the first time the number that they thought of and they will say
‘18’. As they say their number you pause for about five seconds and then
say, “except for 18” this will get a small laugh and you proceed by saying:
“it’s a real shame you didn’t say 17 as I remembered that card was
the nine of hearts (or whatever the card you noted next to 18) . Anyway,
let’s count down to 17 and will see if I was right in saying the nine of
hearts?” Ask the spectator to deal down 17 cards and to turn over the
17th card and show it is the nine of hearts, this will get a muted response
as you say, “but that wasn’t your number so isn’t a very good trick! The
next card is the 18th card so please take it and without looking at it,
place it in your pocket.”

You now get the spectator to gather up the rest of the deck and to shuffle it
and then to spread them out face up across the table and you quickly scan
the deck apparently looking for the missing card. You quickly announce
the missing card as The Four of Spades! Have the spectator remove the
card from their pocket and show it to be the four of spades!

A C A A N..... Almost
The effect ‘Any Card At Any Number’, sometimes known as ‘The Berglas
Effect’ has become an obsession with an awful lot of magicians, me
included. The routine that follows, provided that you sell it with total
conviction, appears to the spectators to be a pure version of ACAAN. Best
of all, from the moment you hand them the cased deck of cards to shuffle...
you never touch the cards!

Effect

Someone studies the 52 faces of a deck of cards that they have just shuffled.
You then explain that subconsciously, they now know the location of every
card in the deck. You now think of a single card and the spectator finds it
by dealing a number of cards to the table... the last card dealt is the card
you thought of!

Required

A marked deck.

Presentation

Start by introducing the cased deck and ask a spectator to remove the
cards and shuffle them. Once they have finished shuffling, have them
spread the cards faces up on the table. You now ask them to study the
face up spread of cards, as you explain that (unbeknown to them) you
are psychologically conditioning them into knowing the position of every
card in the deck. Note:: If you don’t have a table they could spread through
the cards, looking at all their faces, with the deck in their hands.

You now ask the spectator to gather up all the cards and table the deck
face down. The next stage is pure bluff, however, if you word it correctly
it is totally convincing. You explain that you are thinking of a single card
and that you will transmit this card, telepathically, to them. You now enter
a trance like state (for some of you there won’t be any change in your
appearance) and say to them that, although they may not be aware of it,
they now subconsciously know the name of the card that you are thinking
of.

Once you have convinced them that they are now thinking of the same
card as you are, you ask them what position (number down from the top)
they think it is in the deck. Once they give you an answer (let’s assume they
say twenty-two), you explain that the reason they know this is because
they have subconsciously noted and remembered the position of every
card in the deck. To prove this, you now ask that they pick up the deck and
deal a pile of twenty one cards in front of them. Once they have done this
you ask that they deal the 22nd card in front of you. Emphasise that they
are to deal the cards face down - not face up.

All you now have to do is... read the ‘mark’ on the back of the card in front
of you (let’s assume it is the Four of Clubs). Say, “The card I was thinking
of was the Four of Clubs”, but immediately continue... “Now, you may
not be aware of it, but you not only knew that I was thinking of The
Four of Clubs, you also knew that it was 22 cards down in the deck...
didn’t you?” Note: If you deliver this final line with total conviction, 99%
of the time the spectator will agree with you. If they don’t... you still have
a great trick!

To finish say, “So, I thought of ANY card and you named ANY number.
Let’s see if our two thoughts collided. Please turn the 22nd card face
up.” They do so and... it is the Four of Clubs! Note: Make sure that you give
the spectator all of the credit for accomplishing this trick, and act amazed
as to how they did it!
Final thought: I occasionally add the following convincer... Just after they
have shuffled, studied the faces of the cards and scooped them all up. I ask
that they set the deck face down on the table, while I patter. This allows me
to spot the markings on the back of the top card, which I remember. Let’s
assume it is the King of Hearts.

I now conclude the routine as before. Finally I direct the spectator to

reassemble the deck so that the original top card (King of Hearts) ends up
(in this case) 22 cards from the top.

I then say, “I don’t suppose you believe this, but I not only telepathically
transmitted the Four of Clubs to you... I also transmitted the number
22, which is my lucky number. If you don’t believe me, I can prove it.
I’ll think of another card, but this time I’ll tell you that it is the King
of Hearts. Now after all that shuffling and dealing I’d like you to deal
21 cards again into a pile and then deal the 22nd card in front of me
as you did earlier.” They do this and I end by saying, “If the 22nd card
is the King of Hearts, you’ll then know why 22 is my lucky number...
please turn it over.”

INVISIBLE LIE DETECTOR

This is an absolutely terrific routine, modest ehhh?, and one that I consider
to be worth far more, to any working close-up performer, than the cost
of this booklet. Originally, I published this routine using only 5 objects,
however I have now increased it to 8 objects and although it doesn’t
use a full marked deck it does use 8 marked cards and a slightly different
marking system.

Required

Eight small items (I will describe the items I use in a moment) that can be
kept in your two jacket pockets (4 in each) and can be distinguished, one
from the other, by touch alone. You also require eight red backed bicycle
blank faced cards that are marked on their backs. A simple way to mark
them is to use a red sharpie and at the top and bottom of a bicycle card
there is a small white daisy with 8 leaves and you colour in the leaf on the
top and the bottom to signify the numbers, one through 8.

Set up

The faces of the cards each bear the name of one of the small items. The
items that you use can be any small items however the items I use are easy
to memorise using the following pneumonic. 1) Ball (1 surface) 2) Coin (2
surfaces) 3) Key (3 letters) 4) Dice (4 letters) 5) Stone (5 letters) 6) Button
(6 letters) 7) Battery (7 letters) 8) Nut & Bolt (8 letters)

You now deal the cards face up onto the table in the following order: Ball,
Coin, Key, Dice, Stone, Button, Battery, Nut & Bolt. You now turn the cards
face down and mark them as follows: Mark the top card (Ball) as 8 and
move it to the bottom of the stack. Mark the next card (Coin) as 1 and
move it to the bottom of the stack. Mark the next card (Key) as 2 and like
before move it to the bottom of the stack. This is repeated for the next
few cards, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Now from the mark on the top card you are able to
know the identity of the bottom card i.e. if the top card is a 4 you know
the identity of the bottom card as being a Dice! This packet can be cut as
often as desired and the stack will not be disturbed.

Note: Any items can be used as long as they fit into your closed hand, I just
find the pneumonic system above makes life very simple.

The 8 items are distributed in the left and right jacket pockets with the
Ball, Coin, Key, Dice in one pocket, and the Stone, Button, Battery, Nut
& Bolt in the other pocket.

Performance

Show the cards and explain that they are items you used to carry in your
pockets when you were a teenager. Ask someone to take them behind
their back (or under the table) and cut as many times as they like or …
simply move a card from the top to the bottom, as often as they like, until
they are happy.

Once they’ve done this, ask them to bring the cards forward again and
look at the card on the bottom and remember what is written on it. Let’s
assume that they have looked at the card bearing the word COIN. Have
them table the cards so that theirs is lowermost. You now simply need to
spot the mark on the top card of the tabled pile. In this case it will be the
number ‘2’ which tells you that they have looked at the card bearing the
word COIN.

Ask him to pick up the cards, shuffle them then deal them into a face up
row across the table. In the meantime, you reach into the appropriate
pocket and remove your invisible lie-detector????

In reality, you finger palm the COIN (or whatever object is chosen) with
your 2nd, 3rd and 4th fingers then remove the hand holding ‘nothing’
between your forefinger and thumb as you explain that it is an invisible
lie-detector. Explain that you will pass it over the cards one at a time and
they are to say the word ‘No’ as your hand passes over each card and you
explain that obviously, they will be lying on one of the items and you will
tell them which one it is.

You now pass your hand over the top of the cards getting the spectator to
say ’No’ as you pass your hand over each card. At the end you explain that
you have a feeling that they were lying on the coin. When they reply that
they did ... slowly open your hand to reveal that you have been holding a
Coin throughout!
 THINK AS I THINK
In 1990 somebody discussed with me an idea that used a marked deck
of cards. Although the idea was basic, it encouraged me to create an
effect that I used many times on TV, in lectures and on occasions when I
performed close-up magic for friends, I even published the routine in my
book WD40, it was called ‘Think as I Think’. In 2005 somebody mentioned to
me that Steve Beam had an effect published in his book ‘Semi-Automatic
Card Tricks, Vol. 1’ that was similar to the one that I was using. I didn’t bother
checking Steve’s routine as I had already read all of his books and didn’t
recall seeing anything similar to what I was using. How wrong I was, for
not only was it similar, it was exactly the same! I honestly don’t know how
I came about unintentionally ‘ripping off’ Steve’s trick. I must have read it
then forgot about it, but stored it in my subconscious. I explained to Steve
what had happened and he understood the predicament I was in.

Anyway, it is with Steve’s kind permission that I give you his (and what I
thought was mine?) effect, Marked Phenomena.

Required

A marked deck

Invite someone to examine and shuffle your cards. Explain that you are
going to do a trick and ... so are they. Tell them to table the deck and cut it
into two halves. Ask that they hand one of the halves to you. Once they’ve
done this… spot the identity of the top card of their half and remember it.
Turn away from them with your cards and ask them to pick up their cards,
reach into the middle somewhere and remove one at random. They are
told to look at the card, remember it then place it on top and cut the cards
as often as they like.

You mime these actions but disregard the card you look at, just remember
the card you spotted on top of their tabled half earlier. You now both
exchange halves.

Say, “I’m going to try and find the card you’re THINKING of in your
half and you are going to try and find the one I’m THINKING of in my
half.” Search for the card you sighted earlier and remove the card directly
above it in your face up spread. Prompt them to look through their cards
to try and find your card.

Lay their card face down on the table and tell them to do the same with
the card they think you might have thought of. They will, after some
deliberation, table a card. You must now sight the mark on the back of
this card and remember it. Ask them what card they thought of. After they
name it, turn over the card. This gets a good reaction.

Now say, “You would expect me to find the card you THOUGHT of
as I am a magician, but I wouldn’t expect you to find the card I am
THINKING of”…... Continue, “I THOUGHT of the ?????” Here you name
the card they have tabled. They will be absolutely floored. Turn it over and
you have ... a miracle!

Note: Actually what I do now is just spot the top card on their half and that
is the one I get them to look at and then I ask them to shuffle their half of
the deck, I then look at my top card (ignoring it as before) and shuffle my
half of the deck. So all I have to do now is find the card that I spotted on
the top of their half – it’s just less complicated.
 DUPLICATE
Required

A Marked Deck and a regular deck with a different colour back.

Setup

The 2 decks are on the table face down.

Presentation

Start by asking the spectator to point to one deck. Note: you are now
going to force the marked deck on the spectator by using the age-old
conjurers choice. This is what I do: let’s assume the marked deck is red
backed. Let’s also assume they point to the red deck. You just get them to
pick it up and shuffle it. However, if they point to the blue deck, you pick
the blue deck up yourself and start shuffling it asking them to pick the red
deck up and shuffle (either way, they end up with the marked deck).

When both you and the spectator have finished shuffling, you place your
deck face down on the table and ask the spectator to do the same. You
now explain that in a moment you are going to turn away and whilst you
do you would like the spectator to do the following: Deal the top card
face down onto the table and then turn the deck face up and to insert
the face down card into the face up deck and once they have done this
they are just turn the deck face down and they are to tell you when they
have finished. Note: you do all these actions as you explain what they
are to do. So now your deck is in your hand, with a face up card in the
middle.

Note: Whilst you have been explaining this you have noted the top
(marked) card of the spectator’s deck. Let’s assume it is the 7 of
spades.
You turn your back with your deck in your hands and whilst your back is
turned you run through the deck and locate the 7 of spades and reverse it
in the middle of the deck and you also turn the reversed card that you put
in the deck at the beginning, back the right way. Note: there is a very slim
possibility that the card you reversed at the beginning of the routine
is also the 7 of spades. If this happens then just doing nothing.

When the spectator lets you know that they have finished, turn around
and place your deck face down upon the table. You now get the spectator
to do the same as you and that is: you turn your deck face up and spread
it across the table (the spectator does the same) it is now seen that both
decks have a face down card in the middle. You remove the spectator’s
face down card and they remove yours, and when they are both turned
over – They Match!

DOUBLE PERSONALITY
By
y Boris Wild

Thanks to Boris for this fantastic effect with a marked deck and an invisible
deck.

Required

A marked deck and an Invisible Deck. This special deck allows you to show
all the cards face up except for one card (whichever one you want) which
is face down. You can get this deck from your magic dealer.

Preparation

The Invisible Deck is in its case. The marked deck is stacked as in the chart
below (from top to bottom of the face-down deck). Aficionados will have
realised that this is a reverse Si Stebbins stack.
JD/8S/5H/2C/QD/9S/6H/3C/KD/10S/7H/4C/AD/JS/8H/5C/2D/QS/9H/
6C/3D/KS/10H/7C/4D/AS/JH/8C/5D/2S/QH/9C/6D/3S/KH/10C/7D/4S/
AH/JC/8D/5S/2H/QC/9D/6S/3H/KC/10D/7S/4H/AC

Thanks to this arrangement and the markings, you will be able to know a
card that has been cut to, without ever seeing its back, face, or the face of
any other card! This is all you need to remember: Add three to the value;
The Clubs - Hearts - Spades - Diamonds order (conveniently remembered
through the handy CHaSeD mnemonic).

Once the deck is stacked, cut the tabled face-down deck and complete the
cut. Take the top card and put it away, without looking at its back markings.
Now read the markings on the card currently on the top of the deck. For
example, let’s say it’s the four of Hearts. To determine the missing card:
Add three to its value (4 + 3 = 7); move up one from the suit.

Since the suit is Hearts, the next suit is Spades, as per the CHaSeD order.
Thus, the missing card is the seven of Spades! Putting the seven of Spades
back on the deck, and cutting it, will allow you to repeat straight away, as
the stack is a continuous loop. Think of the Jack, Queen and King as having
values of eleven, twelve, and thirteen. So adding three to, say, twelve,
will yield fifteen. If the result is more than thirteen, the card’s value is the
difference from thirteen. A result of fourteen indicates an Ace, because
14 - 13 = 1. A result of fifteen indicates a Two, as 15 - 13 = 2. A result of
sixteen indicates a Three (16 - 13 = 3). If you think of the numbers one to
thirteen as a circle, and count along the circle, it all becomes clear. You
should perceive the CHaSeD order as a circle as well; the D then precedes
the C.

Once comfortable with the principle, you will be ready to proceed. Put the
deck in its case and let’s go!

Performance

Show the two tabled decks. Put the blue deck aside as you explain that it
contains a prediction. Extract the red deck from its case and give it a casual
display, either in the hands or on the table. Indulge in a false shuffle and in
a few complete cuts. Enlist the help of a spectator. Ask her to cut the deck
and then to complete the cut.

Show the spectator what you will want her to do in a few moments.
This walk-through is of capital importance for the routine’s success. The
spectator must do exactly what she is told in order for you to succeed.
Keep the explanation short and simple. Note: You now demonstrate
exactly what you need them to do. Cut the deck in two, and complete
the cut. Take off the top card and insert it partially, face up, into the deck.
Tell the spectator that she will need to push the card flush and to square
up the deck. Once you are certain that she clearly understands what is
expected of her, pull out the out-jogged card and put it face down on top
of the deck. Cut the deck, complete the cut and turn away.

Go through the process with your back turned: ask her to cut the deck,
complete the cut, take the top card, look at it, and insert it face up in the
face-down deck. Pause after each step and wait for verbal confirmation of
its completion. It is not so much guiding, as directing the spectator; but
you are there to entertain, so the iron hand must be covered with a velvet
glove!

As soon as the spectator has completed the task, turn to face the audience.
Square up the deck as you mention that you do not want to see any of the
cards. Take this opportunity to take a good look at the top card’s markings.
Figure out the name of the card through application of the rules (+3, next
suit in the CHaSeD sequence), and commit the card to memory.

Extract the Invisible Deck from its case (appropriate side up) and hold it
in dealing position in the left hand. Ask the spectator to take the same
position you are taking. She is to imagine that there is a mirror between
the two of you, and that she should mimic your every gesture. Once she
seems to understand the idea, start spreading the cards in your hands.

Continue doing so, making sure that they imitate your gestures,
deportment, and behavior. Locate the card associated to the selection via
the Invisible Deck principle you are using. As soon as you do, separate the
cards and expose the card’s back. Keep on spreading further to emphasize
the fact that there is only one face-up card. Point out to the participant
that you are both in the same situation. Ask her to turn the face-down
card in her deck face up... But remind her that she is still bound by the
mirror rule – both of you must do the same gestures at the same time.
Mention that since the invisible mirror is magical, both cards should be
the same. Turn the cards face up, in unison, for the conclusion: the cards
are definitely the same!

Notes
This effect resets almost automatically. Simply return the cards to their
respective positions, in both the stacked deck and the Invisible Deck... and
you are set to play!

Table-hoppers, take note!

In his video Best of Tamariz Seminar (initially marketed as a VHS by Joker

Deluxe in 1996), Juan Tamariz mentioned the possibility of uniting a
stacked deck and an Invisible Deck in a routine called “Faites comme Moi”
(“Do As I Do”) but the taping of the video was made after the creation of
Double Personality, no detailed description was made and of course no
marked deck was involved.

It would be preferable if the two face-up cards appear pretty much

simultaneously. You can improve the chance of this happening by trying
to locate the associated card early and keeping an eye on the spectator.
Often, you will spot the reversed card in the spectator’s hands before she
does: time the appearance of your reversed card accordingly. Keep in
mind that you have half as many cards to spread as she does. Do not rush
through the spread.
The mirror concept is the key to this presentation. It makes the spectators
forget that this is simply a card trick. By exploiting the reflection idea,
you can reproduce a situation taking place in the spectator’s hands. The
simultaneous gestures amplify the aesthetic aspect of the effect and
creates a strong, vivid and lasting image in the audience’s mind.

Furthermore, when using the mirror presentation approach you bring an

invisible reality that can be perceived to mean you could have real magical
powers. It was in this context that this routine was created. Review the
following: Let’s imagine that you have real magic powers. You turn around,
a spectator cuts a deck in the middle, looks at a card and then turns it face
up among the other face-down cards. You take a second deck and fan it at
the same time as the spectator, one card is upside down in each deck: they
are the same. If you read the effect again: every gesture is exactly the same!
All you have to do is spread a face-up deck. Then suddenly both decks
have a card upside down and when both are turned over, they match. If
that ain’t real Magic, I don’t know what that is!

SPELL CHECK
Some time back, in a London hotel, I saw Jerry Sadowitz perform a
stunning coincidence type card effect. I had no Idea how the trick was
accomplished. The effect that you are about to read is nothing like Jerry’s,
but it was inspired by watching his.

Required

As well as a marked deck you need a regular deck as well, preferably

contrasting colours.

Performance

Start by having both decks shuffled and cut by two different spectators.
Have the person with the marked deck table it, face down in front of him.
Secretly read, from the markings, the identity of the top card of this deck.
Let¹s assume it is the 9C.
Take the regular deck and spread through (from face to back) with the
faces towards you until you spot, in our example, the 9C. Once you spot it,
say to yourself ‘N’. Look at the card behind it and say to yourself ‘I’. Continue
to do this saying to yourself... N-E-O-F- C-L-U-B-S. Cut the deck at the last
card your eyes end up on, so that it becomes the top card once the cards
are face down. If you reach the top of the deck during this don¹t panic,
just carry on from the bottom up again. The whole process should look
like you are quickly spreading through the deck and cutting it once. This
secretly places the 9C at a position soon to be spelled to. Put this deck face
down on the table.

Have the spectator with the marked deck tabled before him turn the top
card face up (9C). Then ask the other spectator to take the other deck and
spell N-I-N-E-O-F-C-L-U-B-S, dealing a card for each letter, from the top of
the deck, into a tabled pile. Have them turn over the last card spelled and
it will be the 9C.

This is a very simple and direct trick, but I can assure you it is extremely
powerful magic.

IDENTITY
This effect was inspired after watching Joseph Barry’s excellent DVD
‘Inscrutable’, which I highly recommend. On there was an effect called
Simple Math, I really liked the premise of the effect, which inspired me to
create the following. Although there are similarities to Joe’s original effect
this trick ended up being slightly different.

Required

A marked deck.
Presentation

Hand out the deck for shuffling and ask the spectator to deal down onto
the table (face down) a card for each letter of his first name: let’s assume
it’s Harry. So he deals H–A–R–R–Y which means there will be a pile of 5
face down cards on the table. Next, you ask him for his middle name (if
he hasn’t got a middle name I will tell you what to do at the end). Let’s
assume he says David, you ask him to deal a pile of cards at the side of the
other pile using one card for each letter of the name. So he will now deal
D–A–V–I–D, which means there will now be another face down pile of
5 cards on the table. As you look down at these you obtain the values of
the top cards of each pile, let’s assume it is a 9 and a 5. If they don’t have a
middle name you go straight into asking them their surname, let’s assume
it is Jenkins. You now ask them to deal one card for each letter. So they will
deal J-E-N-K-I- N-S, making a pile of 7 cards and you glimpse the value of
the top card (let’s assume this is a 3). There are now 3 face down piles of
cards. You now make a mental calculation and add values of all 3 top cards,
which in this case is 9+5+3 = 17.

You now have to use your best improvisational skills for the next phrase
because you need them to deal another face down pile of 17 cards, but it
has to appear what you are doing is very casual with an almost ’couldn’t
care less attitude.’. This is the way I do it and what I would say: “do you have
children?” Let’s assume they say yes. “What is one of their names?” Let’s
assume they say ‘Victoria’ you now get them to deal, face down spelling
Victoria - one card for each letter and you now make a mental note of 8
(which is the number of cards they have dealt on the table) you now ask
them if they have any pets? Let’s assume they have the dog. You ask them
for the dog’s name and let’s assume it is Freddie. You now ask them to deal
cards face down onto the existing pile of cards spelling the name Freddie
using one card for each letter and you make a mental note of the number
of letters which in this case is 7 and you add 8+7 = 15. You now know that
you have 2 cards left to make 17 and I would say at this point: “just deal a
couple more cards.” And when they have done this you now know there
are 17 cards in the pile. So what you are doing basically is improvising
your way through it. You can ask their wife’s name, sister, brother, girlfriend,
mother, father, anything really the more ridiculous it is the funnier it gets
– just do it!

You now glimpse what the top card is of the 17 card pile (let’s assume it is
the 4 of hearts), and you get them to look at the top card and place it back
on the pile and cover it with their hand. You are now going to improvise
again as you say that the top cards of the 3 piles will give you the necessary
information of the card that they are thinking of. You now ask them to turn
over the top cards of the 3 face down piles. Let’s are assume they are the
9 of hearts, 5 of spades, 3 of clubs. I would now say the following: “the 9
of hearts tells me that your card is a red card? In fact it tells me that
your card was a heart and if I subtract the 5 (5 of spades) from 9 it
leaves 4 - making your card the 4 of hearts” in other words, you just
make up whatever you can. You can say things like: “by looking at the 3
of clubs, I can tell your card is not a black card is also not a 3 but it’s
very close, maybe a 4? The 9 of hearts definitely tells me that your
card was a heart, so if it was a 4, that makes it the 4 of hearts!” If there
is nothing there that you can think of just make up whatever and say, “I
can tell by looking at these 3 cards, your card was a red card, a heart,
the 4 of hearts” in other words, just say anything and they will believe you
because you ask them if you are right and they will say: Yes!

You now say, and now comes the amazing part: if you add the values of the
top cards together they add up to 17 and if you count the face down cards
you will find there are exactly 17 cards!

Note: I know the above sounds really complicated, but in real time it is not.
At the beginning I mentioned if they didn’t have a middle name all you do
is create a 3rd pile of cards by asking them for another name of i.e. father,
mother, sister, brother, girlfriend, wife etc.

c Copyright Wayne Dobson 2013