A most unusual test that can be introduced into a program at any time is one which needs no preparation in one version and but a little in another. It is one of those tricks that can be done before practically any sized audience and it is just as effective if presented for a single person. Professional performers know only too well how rare and hard to find such an effect is.
The first version is impromptu with any cards that may be borrowed. The performer states that what he is about to do must not be confused with card tricks or sleight-of-hand. It will be left entirely to the audience as to what senses are employed by the performer in gaining his subsequent knowledge. The working of the effect is so clean and obviously free of trickery that this point stressed at the start will emphasize it and be remembered after.
One person is chosen, always a man, and shuffling the deck of cards, the performer has three taken therefrom and pocketed. The spectator is cautioned against seeing the cards at this time in order to guard against the possibility of the performer reading his mind. (After all, this is a test of par-optic vision – not of mind reading)
The performer now allows the spectator to blindfold him and to lead him to a distance of 30 or 40 feet, turning him so that when action starts he will have his back turned towards the spectator at that distance.
“Reach into your pocket and draw out a card”, says the performer. The spectator does so. The performer names the card!
“Drop it”, says the visioner, “and take out another.” This is done. And again the performer names it.
“There is only one of them left, isn’t there ?” The spectator acknowledges this display of astuteness. “Don’t take it out”, cautions the man with many eyes.
And slowly, but surely, this master mind of modern mystery calls the color, suit and value of the card in the spectator’s pocket !
Back we go over a goodly space of years and find in one of the oldest books of Magic a principle which has never been disputed. Then a selected and replaced card was brought to the top of the deck which was placed in a spectator’s pocket, back outwards. On command, the spectator reached in and drew out a card. Seldom if ever would they draw any but the top card. It is the easiest and most natural one to take. What they did then they do now. But instead of a deck, we use three cards. These three cards must be known by the performer – and also their order from back to face. There are two methods by which the cards can be known – a force and through use of a stacked deck. The former is used when working impromptu. I suggest my method as explained in this issue of The Jinx Extra except that three cards be used instead of one. It doesn’t matter though, as long as three cards together are forced from the deck, it is false shuffled and spread out. The spectator takes three together from any spot and pockets them while the performer reassembles the deck by completing the cut from where the cards were taken and glimpses the bottom card while laying the cards aside. Thus he knows the next three or chosen cards in order.
Standing blindfolded at a distance, the performer asks that a card be taken from the pocket. Ninety-five times out of a hundred the cards are taken out in the correct order. However, the color is named first, followed by the suit, to double-check. Have the first and third of the same color but opposite suits. The middle card is of opposite color. If it isn’t the color you name, you know the card anyway. If it isn’t the suit you know it too. You may hit one who goes at it backwards but when a rare specimen doesn’t follow the order as planned, he’ll invariably keep on the way he has started. The middle card never misses being second. It’s up to you to make the most of the last. But watch the effect on the audience !
Finis.
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