About three years ago I think, this was produced in a manuscript marketed by Frank Lane. Mr Braun kindly sent me what I consider a nice improvement in the working, and may be the cause of bringing it back to many to use again. Certainly the effect is a bit different from the usual run of card problems.

Two packs of contrasting backs are introduced. Removing the blue deck, the performer shuffles and says he will remove one card. Fanning the deck with the backs toward the audience, he removes one card and, without showing it, puts the deck behind his back saying that he will place this card just removed in a certain position in the deck. Then the pack is brought back to the front and returned to its case. Now the red deck is taken from its case, and handed to a spectator who riffle shuffles it once, cuts it near the center and looks at the card cut at, replaces cut and shuffles once more.

Taking the blue deck from its case, the performer asks how many spots are on the card that the spectator noted in the red deck. The performer is told, say 9. He remarks “You will recall that before you looked at a card, I removed one card from this deck and placed it in a certain position. Isn’t it curious that I should have placed the Nine of Clubs (assuming that is the card looked at by the spectator) the ninth card in this pack ? What was the name of your card ?” He names the Nine of Clubs, and the performer then counts down finding the mentally selected card at that spot !

The strong part of this is that the performer never handles the deck in which the spectator selects his card. Set the red pack as follows : From the back to the face – any 6 cards followed by the 13 Hearts with the higher values in the center of the group. Now any 13 cards followed by the 13 Clubs also with the higher values in the center of the bunch. Lastly are the seven remaining cards of the deck.

If the deck is cut near the center and the two halves dovetail shuffled once, the middle group of over 20 cards will be Hearts and Clubs with the higher values near the center.

Now set the blue deck as follows from back to face : Ace to King of Clubs, any card, Ace to King of Hearts. The card between these bunches is necessary.

To present, take out the blue pack, and just a flash of the cards given of the faces and the backs so the deck appears O.K. and all one way. Fan them facing yourself and remove one card from below the setup. Also hold a break below the extra card between the Clubs and Hearts. Now put the deck behind your back, and stressing the point that you are going to place this card just removed in a certain position in the pack, replace it on the bottom of the pack. Now take the bunch of cards above the break and bring them to the bottom, FACING the rest of the pack. If the spectator happens to look at the King of Clubs, this extra card allows you to count to the King without letting any face up cards being seen. Bring the deck from behind your back and replace in its case, remembering which side is Hearts and which is Clubs.

Now the spectator is given the red deck to shuffle once, cut, note the card, and shuffle again. At this moment, you fish by saying “A black card?” If an affirmative, you continue, and if a negative, you say “I’m glad because I was a little doubtful.” Take the blue deck from the case with the proper side upwards, never letting the bottom of the deck show. Then ask the number of spots. Say 9. Now say what was written before in the effect above, naming the correct suit when you tell them that you placed the Nine of Clubs (or Hearts) in the ninth position. If the spectator had looked at a 6, you would remark that you placed the Six of Clubs in the sixth position. Then count down and turn over the card that matches the one they picked.

The setting up of this problem is only a very few minute’s job. It differs from all others because the decks are not exchanged back and forth which always is confusing. Mr Braun’s presentation has improved the general appearance of ease in handling and has helped a very nice trick.