Key Location

Locations are drugs on magical markets, especially when they pertain to cards instead of beautiful blondes of the type picturized by California press agents.

But let’s suppose a blonde is your “medium”. Put her in another room. Give a spectator the deck for plenty shuffling. He thinks of one card. Take back the deck, ask him for the card’s name. From among them you pick out that card and put it before him. The deck is laid down and you retire from active service.

“Put your card anywhere in the deck,” you say, “give them all a shuffle, and then send them into Miss Psychic.” Naturally, to experienced readers of the Jinx, the result must be in favor of the performer. The “medium” either sends, brings with her, telegraphs or air mails the chosen card or its identity.

Secret

You and your partner, blonde or no, are conversant with a stacked deck code, whether it be Si Stebbin’s idea or the “Eight Kings etc,” arrangement. The deck, by the way, harbors a short card.

Take back the mixed deck and riffle cut the short card to top. Then shuffle overhand to bring it to the bottom. Next look through the cards for the one named. However, you really look for the card next to the named card USING THE SYSTEM OF STACKING. For instance, with the Si Stebbin’s way, and a 4 of hearts named, you might look for the 7 of Clubs. with the “Eight Kings” ditty system the key card would be the Ace of Clubs.

The key card is shifted to the deck’s top. Next you “find” the named card and give it out. The deck is put onto the table, short card at bottom, key card on top. The spectator inserts his card anywhere, cuts, shuffles. Take the deck from an “overhand” shuffler after the first mixing. You should know, after a few tricks, who shuffles dovetail. This type of shuffle never will separate the “short” and key card. And that is the clue which tells your medium the name of the chosen pasteboard.