This may be another location, but it most certainly isn't "just" another location. It has been proven to contain an unusual high content of what we call "baffle-power". An audience volunteer does most of the work, having three cards drawn and returned, and drawing and returning one himself, all of this while the performer's back is turned. The performer finally locates all cards without touching the deck himself. The principle is easily recognizable as the "divided pack". The handling and presentation, however, leaves little to be wanted. The odd cards are separated from the even ones -- the 28 odd…
Several methods for doing similar effects as given here have been invented, but my ideas will be found to give maximum effect for the least trouble. No memory systems are involved, neither are there complicated formulae or procedures to drive the magus to distraction. The effect is simply this : A spectator is allowed to remove a card from the pack. The performer, running through the cards but once, proceeds to mentally eliminate all the cards but the one held by the spectator, thus naming it. There is a popular belief among the masses that certain gifted people are able…
(Editor's note : Mr. Simpson has, to us, discovered a new system of almost immediately computing the location of the spectator's thought of card after he, himself, has handled the cards alone. It is a vast improvement over the old 27 card trick, or the method (requiring tables) by Jordan for use with the entire deck, or the more complicated method of figuring as written by Stanyon. Combined with another deck for a coincidental effect it makes an amazing problem.) EFFECT Two ordinary decks of card are used, the spectator having free choice of one, the performer retaining the other.…
Away back when the Jinx was bestablized, ('twill never be. Ed.) there was published a stack that would beat the solitaire game of "Canfield." Now, and with as few apologies as will save face, we offer Mr. Arbuthnot's arrangement, easily made, for beating that gambling houses' money maker. Our previously printed set-up was, to the "fast crowd", an old maid's version too easily, on percentage, broken. Canfield, who ran the famous Casino in the Gay Nineties, and who originated this type of solitaire, would sell, for $52, and pay $5 for each card played onto the foundation. Hence, you must…
REQUIRED A "single ender" deck of cards with 26 duplicates of one card cut short and with matching backs. For sake of clearness let us suppose that the duplicate cards are Aces of Diamonds. PREPARATION Stack the deck in your favorite order such as Si Stebbins or Eight Kings being sure that the back designs of the deck are all pointing in one direction. Cut the cards so that the Aces of Diamonds is on top, and remove it. Now cut off 25 cards and place them in the upper right vest pocket. Reverse the order of the remaining 26…
The telephone trick, in one form or another, is ever-popular although a great many people are familiar with the original method of coding. As long as the performer must do the calling himself, or supply a name to be called other than his wife or a friend known to everybody present, no system, however ingenious, will allay suspicions. My methods for this are planned to mystify everybody as well as satisfy the hecklers. And I make use of a deck which can be found valuable in many other tricks. Arrange or purchase a Svengali deck, one in which all the…
There isn't much to this convincing mystery, but I can assure you that a revelation of a thought of and pocketed card while everything remains with the spectator will put plenty of people back on their heels. Individual performers will make use of the principle in various ways according to their temperament. So far I merely use it straight, getting the correct answer apparently directly from the mind. The deck is handed a volunteer who stands with back to audience and facing performer. He is told to slowly and deliberately fan through the cards looking at the face of each…
Ever since Charles Jordan first brought out the endless chain principle of a dovetail shuffle around 1919 (and I believe the discovery of the principle belonged to Arthur Finley), I have deplored the one shortcoming in the location of a selected card by this means. I mean the necessity of going through the deck five or six times to follow the loops of the chain, and it never could be hidden that the performer was bobbing his head around and checking up on something. On August 7th of 1937, I was playing with the trick while waiting on a show,…
Just a few years ago I would have taken this idea, put a full page ad in the Sphinx, supplied a book and deck of cards, made a price of about three dollars, and sold from 100 to 150. I'm rather proud of the way it has worked out, and it is a direct result of the effect Between the Lines that received much in the way of plaudits in the May issue. Whereas Between the Lines was a straight book test with the word revealed at the finish, The Oss of Lhasa is a prophecy, fair and very square,…
Many are the poker tricks, set-ups, and continuous routines that have been developed during the past few years. Some are good, and some, instead, are just plain boring from the entertainment point of view. Generally a spectator will make the remark "Can you deal four aces ?" or "Can you deal a good poker hand to yourself ?" And it is all that worries them, too. If you can immediately deal the cards and give yourself a definitely good hand, you've accomplished the purpose, and satisfied them directly. They'll remember and talk about how you dealt the cards and gave…