I have a nice version of the sympathetic cards that allows it being performed before a goodly sized audience. It has enough flash to it in the working to interest the ones not participating and certainly the selection of the cards from their decks (especially the second) couldn’t be fairer in appearance. It all boils down to two forces – of the same card – from two decks. When at a private party or club it may be possible to borrow one of the two decks, all of which helps in the build-up and after effect.
Using a small stand of the sort popular for 4 Aces routines makes the second part of this effect stand out to the rest. In the presentation of the trick, two decks are brought out and two spectators selected, one on either side of the audience and they may stay in their seats. With the 2 decks still in their cases the performer approaches one and asks that they chose one of the decks. The remaining spectator gets the other. One now is given the selection of a single card from his deck and he keeps this instead of returning it.
Passing to the other, the performer takes the second pack and returns to the front. Giving the pack a shuffle he starts dealing it into four face down heaps in a row on the stand. The second spectator is told to say ‘Stop’ at any time during the deal and at this time the performer turns the card stopped at face up on its pile. He continues dealing and the spectator says ‘Stop’ three more times so that there is one card face up in each of the four piles. In short, four piles are dealt and any card in each pile is turned face up on command of the spectator. A big die is tossed by the spectator and it selects one of the four turned up cards. This card is held for all to see and the first spectator shows his card. They are alike!
Attractive to the spectators and audience is the selection of the second card. It is done in front of them and they see how the entire operation is left entirely to chance (?). However, I have never seen nor concocted an effect that was so completely dependent upon forcing.
One of the two decks is unprepared but has the card to be forced on the bottom face up and the back out. The second deck consists of 39 indifferent cards and 13 duplicates of the one to be forced. These duplicates are distributed through the pack four cards apart starting with the third from top. Both packs are in their cases and you know which is which.
Start by allowing one spectator to choose a pack. If he takes the first one, toss the second deck to another spectator to hold and begin right there. If he should select the second one, let him have it and taking the first deck to another, start there. I suggest forcing the card from the first deck by the method I have described in this issue under the title Still They Come*.
It is a showy method and clean working.
For the second choice I need not explain much more. This pack is given a false shuffle and dealt out in four piles face down. The duplicates all fall in the third pile. At any time a card is turned up in a pile, until there is one such in all four. The third is the force card. This way of the spectator selecting four of the cards couldn’t appear fairer as it is all done with perfect freedom. Now a die is thrown and the numbers 2, 3, 5 and 6 will count to the force card from one end or the other. If 1 or 4 shows up, have the spectator roll again just to see that different numbers turn up each time and that the die isn’t loaded.
Try out this effect and you’ll see how smoothly it operates.
Everything from the very start is a force but the performer always has complete control and at no time do the spectators have a chance to throw a wrench into the works.
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