The Count’s Count

A mnemonic miracle
by Stefan Olschewski

Copyright © 2008 Stefan Olschewski

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or by any means, including photocopying, image scanning, storing or recording
by any means in any form nor broadcasting or transmission through any medium
of any part of this publication by electronic means and whether or not transiently
or incidentally to some other use of this publication, without the express written
consent of Stefan Olschewski.

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“I will count them. One noses, two noses three noses...”
The Count: “Don’t eat the Pictures: Sesame Street at the
Metropolitan Museum of Art”, 1983

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Contents

The Effect……………………………………………… ..5

The History…………………………………………….. ..6
The Secret…………………………………………….....7
The Setup……………………………………….. ..7
The Basic Routine…………………….……….....9
The Clean Routine.…………………………….. 11
The Impromptu Routine.………………………. 13

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The Effect

Do you have the perfect brain? Now you do!

Just take out a deck of cards and a pen. Let them shuffle the cards.
Then have them call out random digits and proceed to write them
on the backs of the cards until you have marked about 30 or 40
cards (or even the whole deck). Fan the cards in front of you for
only 5-10 seconds to remember the sequence. Hand the cards to
the spectator who called out the final number. You are ready to go:

At lightning speed, and blindfolded, you run through the numbers

on the backs of the cards in the exact order they have been called
out! Each time you are right, the spectator is to simply drop the
respective card until all the cards are scattered on the floor. Smile
and thank him for his assistance. Become the one with the perfect
brain!

• No force
• No stooges
• No memory work
• No calculating
• Easy to do
• Everything can be examined at beginning and end
• You will always know the correct order of the numbers
• You can even tell them the value on the face of the cards
• You really don’t see the cards as you run through the
sequence

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The History

First of all, let me explain why this effect is called “The Count’s
Count”. When I started out performing this little trick, I began the
routine by having the “Sesame Street” theme played and I entered
the stage with a black cape and fake vampire teeth in my mouth
playing “The Count”. I even had the sound of thunder played in the
background when I started laughing during the act. (Yes, I was a
little crazy back then – unfortunately, this has not changed until
today!)

I always wanted to incorporate a demonstration of (apparent)

psychic abilities without actually having to remember anything –
apart from things I already know anyway. When I came across an
effect called “Deep Sea Digits” on Lee Earle’s video tape
“SYZYGY’s BEST” (1996) I had finally found the (technical) solution
for my problem.

The video features the best effects of volume one of Lee’s journal
“SYZYGY”. Unfortunately, this great magazine has ceased
publication a couple of years ago. First, I did the effect exactly as
described, later I changed the handling, the complete presentation
and the props. Today, only the basic method of knowing the order
of randomly called out numbers is still quite similar to the one I
learned from the tape.

On the following pages I am going to explain several ways of

performing this little experiment. The “basic version” you will be
able to do right after reading the description, and the “clean
version”. The “clean version” features some more elaborate
subtleties, enabling you, for example, to have the cards shuffled at
the beginning.

I even included an “impromptu version” which is just a little bit more

difficult to perform, but it really is impromptu. Just borrow a deck of
cards and a Sharpie and you are ready to go. Anytime, anywhere!

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The Secret

When you don’t want to really remember all the numbers that are
called out, there is only one way to go: Rely on numbers you
already know. Such as your ZIP code, your social security number,
phone numbers of relatives, friends or companies etc.

The only problem is to get these into play instead of the numbers
called out by the spectators during the routine. The “Deep Sea
Digit” routine achieved this goal by miswriting the numbers on a
sketchpad. You would first show the pad empty, then turn it towards
yourself and when they called out their numbers, simply write the
numbers you already know instead. The final digit, however would
be genuine and really the one that was called out. It is not that hard
to remember a single digit…

Well, here is what I made out of this pretty concept:

The Setup

Here is what you need to pull off the effect:

• A deck of red-backed playing cards (here in Germany I

use a deck with 32 cards only. They are pretty common here
for the game “Skat”. If I perform for international audiences, I
use Bicycle poker decks.)
• A permanent marker
• A ping-pong ball
• Lots of confidence (to get away with this bold concept!)

Start by writing down all the numbers you definitely know, be it

phone numbers, the number of your driver’s license or whatever
numbers you are familiar with. For the first performances, a total of
25 digits will suffice to make a big impression. You can add more
digits later on, if you wish.

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Write all the digits on a piece of paper and practice until you know
their order by heart. This should not be difficult as you already know
the numbers. All you need to remember is their order.

I arranged the numbers from “close” to “far”. That means my

parents’ phone number comes first, because we have quite a close
relationship (try not to use your own phone number. People might
recognize that you call out a number they might have seen on your
business card.)

This is followed by the number of my driver’s license, the ZIP code

of the company I used to work for, then the phone number of that
company.

That way I only need to tell myself a little story to get the sequence
right: I am talking to my parents on the phone (phone number). I
then leave the house to get into my car (license) to drive to work
(ZIP). I use my cell pone to call the office (phone number),
because I am late.

I am actually able to add so many numbers now that I can run

through a full deck of 52 cards, but this might drag the
performance, so I usually stick with about 30 digits.

I do not have to think about this story anymore today, but if you
have not performed the effect for a while it is always nice to have a
way to call the digits back to memory in the correct order.

Once you have learned the digits in their order, you can directly
start with the routine. There is nothing else to learn.

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The Basic Routine

To get ready for the basic routine, take the cards and give them a
shuffle. Turn the deck face down and proceed to use the
permanent marker to write your 30 digits onto the backs of the
cards.

Take 5 of the remaining cards and put them on top of this prepared
stack. The situation from top to bottom should be as follows: 5
facedown cards without writing, about 30 facedown cards with your
sequence, the rest of the unprepared facedown deck.

Put the cards back into the box and you are ready to go.

Performance:
Take the deck out of the box and fan them face down. You can
spread the first 5 cards wide apart; just make sure the numbers
don’t flash on the cards below. You will now turn the deck face up
and perform an overhand shuffle.

Shuffle off about 10 to 15 cards and finally place them back on to

the face of the pack so that the stack stays where it was. Take the
ping-pong ball and the pen from your pocket and throw the ball into
the audience stating that whoever catches the ball has to call out
any single digit that comes to mind.

Let’s assume he says “4”. Write “4” onto the back of the first card
and show it to the audience. You want to make sure they are
definitely convinced that you write down exactly the number they
called out.

Ask the spectator to throw the ball to any other person and have
him call out another digit. Write this down as before and show the
card to the spectators. Once you have written down a number, take
the card and add it to the back of the deck.

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When you have reached the fifth card, start speeding up. They
already know what to do when they catch the ball; they have seen
that their called-out digits are written on the cards, so everything
should run smoothly by now.

Tilt the deck towards yourself and don’t let anybody see that the
next 30 cards already feature the previously written digits. When
the next digit is called out, just pretend to write it down, blow
against the card to dry the ink and put it to the bottom.

It sometimes happens that you will hear a number that actually is

on the card you are looking at. This is great as it allows you to flash
this number to the audience, too. Finally, you will reach the final
card with writing on it; the following card will be empty again.

Say that you want to speed up things a little bit and make the next
digit the final one. Show the card’s back, openly write the number
down and put it to the bottom. Run through the deck until you reach
the first card with a number on it and put the rest of the deck (all the
cards above with no writing on them) away.

(If you use a 32 card deck or really want to go for 52 cards, your
initial setup is a bit different. You want to have 5 unprepared cards
on top followed by the stack and finally a normal card at the bottom.
That way, when you reach the plain back, you will know it is time for
the final digit. There is nothing to put away as you will be using the
whole deck for the revelation.)

Ask the spectator who called out the final number to stand up and
join you on stage.

Tell him you will now remember the order of the numbers. Fan the
deck and just keep on telling yourself the 5 top cards over and over
again. This – and the final number – is all you need to remember.
This shouldn’t take more than 5 or 10 seconds, as you do not really
memorize the digits, but rather repeat them like a rhythm in your
head: 5 2 7 4 9… 5 2 7 4 9…. 5 2 7 4 9….(for example). The final

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digit will be in your mind automatically. Try it, it is true. No memory
work at all.

Hand the deck to the spectator and immediately turn away from him
– you may also use a blindfold if you wish – I usually don’t.

The Count:
For the climax, I usually position the spectator center stage while I
start to walk around, running down the previously memorized
sequence. I instruct the spectator to drop the card or throw it away
if I got the number right, accompanied by an exclamation like “Yes”
or “Correct” or “Unbelievable!”… you know what I mean.

I often point to random people in the audience making it appear as

if I even know the person who called out the respective number. I
get faster and faster and the spectator keeps dropping more and
more cards on the floor – this is a great sight even on large stages.

Finally there will be only one card left in his hand. Take out the
speed of the performance. Walk towards the spectator; look him in
the eye and say: “There is one single card left. And that is your 3!”
Take the card from him, show it around and throw it away. Thank
the spectator for his help and take a bow. The revelation of the final
digit is a great applause cue.

The Clean Routine

The Clean Routine is something I do when I perform in more formal

settings with a real stage available. This version requires a deck
switch. Any switch that is undetectable will do. If you don’t know
any switch at all (how can this be? You’re a magician after all), I am
going to describe the one I use.

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I am not sure when and where I came across this clever deck
switch, I know it was printed in some magazine about 15 years ago,
but my research did not bring back to mind the originator of this
switch. I even called the editors of numerous magazines I
subscribed to back then, but without any success. So here it is; it is
not mine, but it is still great – please don’t overlook it.

You need to be wearing a Topit in the left side of the jacket. Tug the
prepared deck (without its box) into your waistband halfway.
Position it slightly to the left of your body so that the deck is
covered by the left lapel even when the front buttons are open. Put
the pen in your left outer jacket pocket.

Take an ungimmicked deck from its box, have the deck shuffled by
the audience and take it back from them. Hold the deck in your right
hand in front of your body. Turn to your right (so that your left is
facing the audience) and take the pen from the pocket. At the same
time, your right hand will almost automatically come closer to the
gimmicked deck.

All you have to do now is let go of the deck in your hand which will
land safely in the Topit, and take out the prepared deck from your
waistband instead. This switch will take less than a second and will
fool even magicians.

Now proceed with the routine as described above.

As another convincer, I remember some key cards in my stack, so

when I reach a certain number I will immediately know the value of
the card it is written on. People will be stunned when you add
comments like:

“9…8…..3….by the way, that is the Queen of Hearts…. 7… Three

of Clubs…..5…..8….” Two ore three of these little inserts will suffice
– a mnemonic task that is not too difficult to accomplish. In the
Clean Routine, just as in the Basic Routine, you will end completely
clean. I really like that!

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The Impromptu Routine

The Impromptu Routine is what comes closest to the original “Deep

Sea Digits”-effect. There is nothing to prepare, simply borrow a
deck and a pen, have the deck shuffled and you are ready to go.

Simply follow the instructions above until you have written down the
fifth digit. Usually the next card would show the first number in your
stack. As this is an impromptu version, the card back you are
looking at will be completely blank. Don’t worry. This will change in
a moment.

Ask the next person for a random digit and as they call it out, repeat
that number, while writing the first number of your stack on the back
of the card instead. You have to get used to speaking a number
and writing down a completely different number from your memory
instead. However, it will be worthwhile.

I still perform the Impromptu Routine from time to time, but I am too
lazy to do it that way when I have the time and opportunity to get
back to one of the gimmicked versions of the trick. I hope you will
find your favorite way of performing “The Count’s Count”.

Have fun with it! I did.

And still do!

(Just for the record: You don’t need to dress like The Count when
performing the trick. Wear whatever you like!)

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The Count performing “The Count’s Count” back in 1998

(Hey… I was young and needed the money!)

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