The spectator shuffles the deck. You take it back and illustrate what he is to do. He deals two packets of cards face down upon the table, each pile containing the same number of cards - with not more than 10 in each. Then the spectator is told to note the next card on pack, replace it, and put one of the packets on top. The other remaining packet he is to place in his pocket. You take the pack, find his selected card, and also tell the number of cards which he originally dealt. This trick wouldn't be legitimate…
There's one thing about a new trick -- it takes a second reading and twice as many tryouts to convince the reader of its worth. Magic has always been that way. You can do this one after the first reading. You'll appreciate it more and more depending upon how many times you present it. For once you will get a trick, depending upon the simplest of secrets, a trick which is a psychological mystery because its finale embodies (?) more than its preparation to the onlookers might presume. The spectator shuffles his own deck. From it the performer has a…
The desire of every magician is to be able to do one "miracle" with cards which will stump a heckler... an effect wherein the performer divines a card without handling the deck or without asking any questions whatsoever. Here is one I use, released to JINX readers because I promised its Editor a mindreading effect. I call it Smeero ! because Ted seems to like tricks ending with "o" such as Whisko or Ghosto, etc. While this effect may be used as part of any card routine, it is much better to hold it in reserve until heckling starts... if…
In The Jinx #5 for February 1935 there appeared two methods for performing an effect popularly labeled The Lie Detective. A spectator would read through a genuinely shuffled deck, lying at any time instead of calling the card correctly, whereupon the performer, at a distance and with back turn, would wax furious at such deception. Mr Christ approached me later with what he considers a better presentation and climax in the eyes of the audience. I quite agree that this present effect will hold attention to the finish whereas in the former case (it's still a good one) there was…