Mathematical Card Tricks

Bruce Elliott credits this to Jack Miller. A spectator shuffles his

deck and while you turn your back he deals 2 small piles of cards,
not so many as to prolong the trick, but as many as
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he wishes, and silently so you can have no way of knowing the
number dealt. Each pile must have the same number.
Ask the spectator to return one card from the left hand pile to the
main deck. Ask him how many he would like to discard from the
right hand pile. Suppose he says 3. Remember that number.
Spectator returns 3 to the main deck from the right hand pile.
Now tell him to take as many cards as are left in the right hand
pile from the left hand pile and put them back with the main deck.
This done, you remind him you did not know how many cards he
dealt in the first place so could have no idea how many remain.
Yet you call the correct number, in this case, 2. Sure enough, he
has 2 cards left.
The answer must always be one less than the number he called
out. In the case assumed he called 3, so the answer is 2 cards
left.
Add a Pair
Hand pack to spectator. Turn your back to him. Tell him to remove
any 2 spot cards and add the spots together. A 7 and a 5 would
total 12. So he puts his 2 chosen cards to one side while he deals
a pile of cards equal to the total of their spots, in this case, 12. He
then deals another heap of the same number.
He assembles these 2 heaps into one, then puts his 2 chosen
cards on top of the combined heap. Finally he puts the balance of
the pack on top of all. Cards are face down at all times.
You turn, take the cards, stressing that you do not know the 2
cards chosen, therefore you could not know the number dealt.
Likewise you could not know where his 2 cards lie in the deck. He
must agree.
Fan the pack face up in front of you, passing the cards from one
hand to the other, counting from the face of the deck. Begin your
count at O. Count the first 2 cards as 0, the second pair as (41,"
the 3rd pair as "2," the 4th pair as "3" etc.

Removing them 2 by 2, when you arrive at a pair of cards, the

spots on which total the same as your mentally counted number,
those will be the 2 selected cards. In this case the spots on a pair
of cards will total 12 as you mentally count 12. Credited to Torn
Sellers.
Perfect Force
World's easiest force. Only trouble, you need more than one
spectator. Top card is the force card. Put pack on left fingers, out
near fingertips. With left hand held out flat, go to "A." Ask him to
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cut the deck. He cuts off'the top portion. You motion with your
right hand for him to put the cut-off part on your palm, (back of
bottom portion.)
Move on to "B," picking up the bottom portion at the fingertips
with the right hand. Hold left hand out, with top part on its palm,
saying "Will you please take the card that Mr. A cut to?" B takes
top the force card, This is the force used by Percy Bee in England
but is not generally known.
Numerology
Begin by telling a spectator that in numerology everyone's
personality is represented by 2 numbers, the numbers being
different in each instance. Say: "Just by looking at you, I would
guess that your numbers are 5 and 3. Let's see if I'm right."
Ask him to count off any 8 cards. Have him hold these 8 behind
his back in order to shuffle them behind him. Say: "Shuffle these
without looking at them." As you put the cards in his hands held
behind him, just turn the bottom card face up. Doing this behind
his back, he can't see it.
Say "After you've mixed the cards behind you, turn the top and
bottom cards face up. Next, shuffle them again, and again reverse
the top and bottom cards. Repeat this as often as you wish. When
you finish spread the cards on the table. Since your numbers are
5 and 3, you should have 5 cards facing one way and 3 the other.
Note: Have your spectator stop at either 3rd, 5th, or 7th time they
do this, as it is not probable, it is possible to undue your 5/3
spread and you will end with a 7/1 spread, as you did at the start
of the routine. The chances of it happing are low, but it can
happen.

Your prediction proves correct. The trick works automatically. This

is credited to Bob Hummer.
Before Your Eyes
A spectator cuts off a small bunch of cards, say a dozen or so and
retains them, discarding the rest of the pack. He fans the small
packet of cards before him and decides upon one certain card,
remembering it, and also counting how far it lies from the top of
the packet, meaning of course, when the cards are face down.
You take the packet and say you will cut the cards to lose the one
he chose so that neither of you will know where it lies in the small
bunch of cards. You cut a small bunch off the BOTTOM and place
them on TOP of the packet.
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It makes no difference how many you cut off except you must
know the number. Let us suppose you cut 4 cards from the
bottom and transferred those 4 to the top of the packet.
Hand back the packet to him. Ask him to put the cards behind his
back where you cannot see them and to transfer his number from
the top to the bottom, that is, the same number his card was from
the top of the packet when he first decided upon it.
This done, he returns the cards to you. Without looking at their
faces you immediately find his card. It will be as far down from
the top of the packet as the number you cut from the bottom to
the top. If you cut 4 cards, then his card will now be 4th.
Easy Reverse
A spectator shuffles his deck and deals 2 piles of 10 cards each.
He picks up either pile and from it chooses a card which he puts
on the table face down. He then deals this pile on top of his card,
dealing the first card face down, the next face up, the third face
down, and so on, alternating.
He deals the other pile on top of those 10, dealing the first card
face up, the second face down, and so on. He cuts the 20-card
packet to lose his card, then hands the packet to you behind your
back.
You put the top card between thumb and first finger, the second
card between first and second finger, the third card between
thumb and first finger, and so on with all 20. Finally you take one

group (either one) and turn it over, then combine the two groups
into one.
Bring the cards into view and ribbonspread them across the table.
All cards will be facing one way while the chosen card will be
reversed in the spread.
Think of Any Card
A spectator shuffles his deck, then thinks of any card. You take the
deck and state that you will match the suit and the value of the
card he is thinking of by dealing 2 face up piles and finding 2
cards to match his, one face up on each pile, leaving the packjust
as he has shuffled it and without changing the order of the cards.
He now names his thought-of card. Suppose it is the 7 of Hearts.
You start dealing and before all the cards have been dealt, there
appears a 7-spot of some suit at the face of one pile, and a heart
at the face of the other.
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No matter what card he may mentally choose, you succeed in
matching it with the 2 significant cards.
Secret: There is nothing for you to do. The trick works by itself. It
might fail once in a hundred times but it seldom happens. You do
not claim that the first card dealt to a pile, say that on your left,
will combine with the next card dealt, that on your right. What
never occurs to the spectator (and might not occur to you) is that
you have 2 chances for every card dealt.
Deal slowly. Suppose, as before, the 7 of Hearts is thought of.
Suppose, further, that somewhere in your deal, a heart is dealt
onto one heap. The card on the other heap may be a 7, and you
are through. But assume it is not a 7. You deal a card on it
(dealing to each heap in turn) and perhaps a 7 will then appear.
You therefore have had 2 chances instead of one. And so on
throughout the deal.
Easy Follow The Leader
No Sleights
There is an old trick usually known as "Follow The Leader"
wherein one red card and one black are laid out face upward to be
used as "leaders" or guides. A packet of red cards is placed under
the red leader, and a packet of black under the black. No matter
how often the leaders or the packets are exchanged, the cards

follow the leader, the blacks always turning up where the black
leader is, and the reds where the red one is.
A number of different methods have been printed but they require
sleight of hand and a degree of skill. The method to be described
is simple and easy, using no sleights of any kind, yet very
effective. This once appeared in a magazine, usually the burial
ground of much worthwhile material. Its name, and that of the
originator is omitted here, not intentionally, but because of lost
notes.
Deal 6 black cards face up to your left and 6 red ones to your
right, openly. Put the left (black) pile on the right hand pile. Hold
the 12 cards face down in the left hand. Run 8 cards from the left
to the right hand, counting aloud as you do so "1, 2, 3," etc.
After 8 have been counted, spread the 4 in the left hand, saying
"and 4 makes 12." Casually add the 4 to the bottom of the pile in
the right hand. Thumb off the top 6 without reversing their order,
turn the packet face up, squared, and place it at your left. Say
"the blacks go here. The red ones go here." Put the others face up
at your right.
Remove the top card of each pile as a "leader" card, placing it
face up above its own pile. Turn the 2 five...card piles face down
under their leaders. State you will show how the cards play the
game, "Follow the Leader."
Transpose the 2 face down piles, putting each where the other
was. Remove the top card of each pile, showing it has followed its
leader. Place them face up on top of their leaders. Transpose
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the face down piles again. This time remove the bottom cards of
the piles and add them to the leader piles face up.
Again transpose the face down piles. Remove the top cards and
add to the leader piles. The next time, instead of moving the face
down piles you transpose the 2 face up leader piles'! Turn the top
cards of the face down piles and add them to the leader piles.
Finally, transpose all cards (all 4 heaps) criss cross or diagonally,
interchanging the left hand face up cards with the face down card
at the right, and the face up cards at the right with the face down
one at the left. Turn over the remaining face down cards.

Thus, in spite of the continual changing, all cards have followed

the leader.
No Questions Asked
A Glenn Gravatt simplification of an involved Eddie Joseph
creation. A spectator shuffles his pack, and while your back is
turned, deals 15 cards in a pile FACE UP. He is to select anyone of
the 15 cards and remember it. Also he must silently count the
cards as he deals and remember both the card and its number.
He then deals a pile of cards to the right of the face up pile, this
time dealing them face down. This pile is to contain his secret
number, that is, as many cards as the number on which his
chosen card fell. The rest of the cards are placed down at the left.
He has 3 piles, his card being in the center one. He takes this
center pile, turns it face down, and puts it on the pile at his right.
He then puts the pile at his left on top of all. Thus the deck is
complete once more.
You turn and take the pack. Stress the fact that you do not know
his secret number or the card he looked at, and will ask no
questions. Put the deck behind your back turn it face up, and
count to the 16th card from the FACE. That will be his card.
The above saves time but if you want to do it another way,
without putting the deck behind your back or turning the cards
face up, his card will be 37th from the top. (Quite naturally, since
it is 16th from the bottom.) You can therefore locate it with the
cards face down, silently counting to the 37th card. In such case it
should not be obvious to the spectator that you are counting. You
can use any pretext for passing the cards from hand to hand, such
as feeling the spots with your "sensitive fingertips" or any other
ruse.
Deckspert
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One of Stewart James' creations. A spectator shuffles his deck,
and while your back is turned, cuts off about a third or so of the
cards. He then makes 2 piles of the ones cut off, and puts one of
these piles in his pocket. He counts the cards in the other pile,
then counts to that same number in the main deck, noting and
remembering the card that far from the top.

You turn, take the main deck, and assert you will try to locate the
card he looked at without once looking at the cards. Put the deck
behind your back where you appear to be feeling for his card.
What you actually do is to count the cards, easily done by sliding
them off with the thumb from the top into the other hand.
Bring forth the pack, stating you have found his card and will now
do a surprising thing with it, that you will put it as far down in the
pack as the number of cards in his pocket, even "though neither
he nor you know how many he put in his pocket, as he did not
count those.
Mentally subtract the number of cards you counted from 51 (not
52 as you might think.) If the result, say, is 15, you reverse the
order of the top IS cards, simply running them off from one hand
to the other, each going on top of the preceding one, until you
have reversed the order of the required number. Then restore this
packet to the top of the pack. This is done openly as you are
apparently placing his card (which you pretend to know) at a
specified position.
It is now a fact that the card he noted will be at the same number
down in the pack as the unknown number of cards in his pocket.
You can reveal it by having him count the cards in his pocket, then
count to that number in the deck. Perhaps a more dramatic
revelation is for you to have him remove the bunch from his
pocket, and slowly deal cards on the table while you deal off the
pack in unison. When he is all out of cards, you turn over the last
one dealt from the pack, showing that it is the very card he noted.
Congregation of The Aces
This book would not be complete without a "four ace trick." There
are a great number of these, practically all of them depending
either upon sleight of hand or fake cards. The following, devised
by Ralph Hull, is ridiculously easy to perform, packs a terrific
wallop, and strangely, seems to be very little known.
Remove from a pack the 4 aces and any other 12 cards, doing this
quite openly. Discard the rest of the pack. Place 3 indifferent cards
face up and an ace on top. Repeat with the other cards so that
you have 4 piles of face up cards, an ace on top of each. Now
place all 4 piles together into one.
Stress the fact that there arc 16 cards and that every 4th one is
an ace. Therefore, when you deal the cards face down into 4 piles,

the four aces will be in the fourth pile. Turn the packet of 16 cards
face down and deal the first 4 in a row, counting aloud: "1, 2, 3,
4." Right hand takes the next card from the packet in the left and
starts to place it 011 the card to your left, saying "1" as if starting
to count to 4 again. Hesitate. Gesture with the card in your hand
to the fourth card, the one at your right. "Remember, the aces will
go in this pile."
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I'll show you," you continue, replacing the card in your right hand
at the BOTTOM of the packet in your left, and immediately turning
the ace at the end of the row up, showing it, then turning it down
again. This is misdirection, but no sleight. Spectator's attention is
focused on the ace turned up and does not realize the top card in
your left hand has been transferred to the bottom. You merely act
as though trying to convince your audiecnce the aces actually do
go onto the pile at your right.
Say: "1," putting the top card of the packet on the card at the left.
Say "2," putting the next on the second from the left, and soon,
counting "3" and"4". Repeat the 1, 2, 3, 4 count untill all 16 cards
have been laid out into 4 piles.
Say: "Since the aces are in the fourth pile, there will be none in
this one." Turn the first pile (the one to your left) face up and
spread out on the table. "And of course there will be none in this
pile." Turn the second pile face up. Say "that leaves one pile of
aces and one pile of odd cards. I'll turn one of each face up so you
won't forget where they are.
Reach under the third pile, removing the indifferent card from its
face, and place it face up, just above that pile. Do the same with
the fourth pile, removing its lone ace from its face and placing it
face up just above that pile.
Continue: "Now here is the strange thing. If I exchange these 2
face up cards, their companions will follow them. Invisibly, of
course. You can't see them go." Place the face up ace above the
original third pile, moving the odd card over to what was originally
Pile No.4. All that remains is to turn the 3 face down cards of both
piles face up, showing that the other 3 aces have followed their
companion, the fourth ace.
The Sixth Card

After a spectator shuffles his deck, turn your back so as not to

witness the proceedings and tell him to deal 2 small piles of
cards, the same number in each, and to save time, not to deal too
many, say from 5 to 15. He deals silently so you can get no clue
as to the number dealt.
This done the spectator is to take 3 cards from the right hand pile
and place them on the left hand pile. He counts the number
remaining in the right hand pile and returns them to the main
deck, after which he removes the same number from the left hand
pile, also restoring them to the deck.
He shuffles the remaining cards, looks at and remembers the one
at the face of the packet when the shuffle is completed, then
places the packet on the deck. The performer turns, takes his
cards, and reminds the spectator that since at no time did he
know the number of cards used in the various transactions he
could not know the position of the noted card.
You can reveal the card in any manner you wish, as it will always
be the sixth card down in the pack. You could simply run off the
top 5, toss the 6th face down on the table, ask him to name his
card, then turn it over.
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A more dramatic finish is to spread about a dozen of the top cards
in a row or ribbonspread across the table. Have the spectator hold
out a hand with his index finger extended. Take hold his hand and
run it back and forth over the spread, finally dropping his finger
down" on the back of the 6th card. He names his card, then turns
it over.
Find Your Own Card
Bob Hummer's version of the "Australian Deal" from the land of
"Down/ Under." A spectator shuffles his pack and removes 10
cards. He fans the deck before him and decides upon a particular
card, noting the number at which it lies from the top of the
packet. We will suppose he chooses the Ace of Spades and that it
is third from the top.
You take the packet, telling him you will cut the cards so he nor
anyone else will know where his choice is, as you will bring it to a
new position. Spread the cards face down and transfer 4 form the
bottom to the top.

Hand him back the cards and have him transfer, one at a time,
cards from the top to the bottom equal to the number his card
was originally. Since in the assumed case it was third, he would
move 3 cards singly from top to bottom.
You explain that he is to do the "Australian Deal," that since
Australia is commonly known as the land of Down Under, he is to
deal the top card of the packet DOWN, that is, down on the table,
the next one UNDER, that is, underneath the packet he holds, and
to continue in this manner until he has but one card left.
To keep all straight he is to call "down" when he deals to the table
and "under" when he deals or transfers the top card to the
bottom. When but one card remains in his hands he turns it up. It
is the very card he selected. He has found it himself.
Australian Aces
Originated by Glenn Gravatt. The 4 aces are laid out on the table.
You say that from the earliest of times the number 7 has been
considered a mystic number, that it appears dozens of times in
the Bible. There were dreams of 7 lean years and 7 fat years, the
river Jordan was crossed 7 times, etc. Therefore 7 cards are dealt
on to each ace
These 4 piles are combined into one. A false cut at this point,
while not necessary, increases the mystification. Ask the
spectator to take the packet of cards and to do the "Australian
Deal." Tell him it is sometimes known as the "Down Under" deal,
that if he isn't familiar with it it is simply this:
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He lays down the top card of the packet on the table, saying
"Down." He transfers the next card to the bottom of the packet,
saying "Under." He lays the third card on the table, saying
"Down." He puts the next card at the bottom, saying "Under." He
repeats this until he has but 4 cards left. They are turned over,
and prove to be the 4 aces.
New Australian Deal
Originated by Glenn Gravatt. A spectator shuffles his own deck,
then, while your back is turned, deals cards in a face up pile,
counting and stopping on any card. To speed up things and not
have a long drawn out procedure, he should not deal more than
12. He notes the card he stops at, and remembers the number.

For instance he might deal 5 cards and stop. The 5th card might
be the Ace of Clubs. So he remembers the Ace of Clubs, and the
number, 5, after which he returns the 5 cards to the top of the
deck.
You now turn and have him deal off 12 cards on to your palm.
Since he stopped with 12 or less, the packet will contain his card,
but you have no idea where it is or what it is.
Cut 5 cards off the top and transfer them to the bottom. This is
easily done by spreading the cards slightly, and simply re-moving
the top 5. Now his card is lost somewhere in the packet.
Hand him the cards and ask him to transfer his number (the
number he dealt off in the first place) from the BOTTOM to the
TOP of the pack. Then ask him to do the "Australian Deal." Explain
that this is sometimes called the Down Under deal.
So he deals the top card down. (On to the table.) He deals the
next one under. (Under the packet he holds.) He deals the 3rd
down, the 4th under, and so on, until he is left with but one card.
It is the very card he noted.
The Perfect Self-Working Discovery
A quick and easy revelation of a chosen card. A spectator shuffles
his own pack, then lays out 3 heaps of 6 cards each. It doesn't
matter whether they are dealt, pushed off in a packet, or how.
Magician stresses he doesn't know any of these 18 cards and will
not look at them at any time. He thereupon turns his back.
Spectator then chooses any 1 of the 3 piles, picks it up, fans it
before his eyes, and merely thinks of any card in the fan. He
closes the fan, then combines the 3 piles into one, sandwiching
the pile with his card between the other 2 piles, so it will be
buried somewhere in the middle.
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The magician turns around, takes the l Svcard packet, and deals
them into 3 piles, 1, 2, 3, and over these 4, 5, 6, and so on. He
picks up each heap in turn and fans them widely before the eyes
of the spectator, warning him to give him no indication of the card
itself but merely telling him whether or not the pile contains his
card.
The magician combines the 3 piles into one, with the pile
containing the spectator's card on top. He asserts that without

further ado he will find the card the spectator thought of, and
without looking at any of them.
He removes the top card and transfers it to the bottom. He
removes the next one from the top and places it at the bottom He
takes the third one from the top and puts that also at the bottom.
Well, that does it. I've come to your card, the one you thought of,
and without a single question," says the performer. At the same
time he tilts the packet in his hand so he can see the bottom card.
"What was your card?" asks the performer. When the spectator
names it, the card is tossed out on the table face up. It will always
be either the top or bottom one. If he names a different card than
the one you noted at the bottom, take off the top card and show
that you found it, having removed the correct number of cards to
come to it. If he names the one at the bottom, simply turn the
packet face up to show you placed it at the face of the packet.
Whether top or bottom, the finish is equally effective, as it
appears you found it and purposely placed it at that position.
For those who dislike dealing, all dealing may be omitted. After
spectator shuffles, take deck, quickly push off the top 6, then the
next 6, then the next. When he has noted a card and combined
the heaps, take packet in right hand, push off top card between
thumb and forefinger of left, second between first and second
fingers, the third between second and third fingers. Start over,
putting the fourth card between thumb and first finger, and so on,
with all the cards. Now the 6 cards between each 2 fingers are
shown separately to ascertain which group contains his. This can
also be done behind your back. Just state you are mixing the
cards a bit or that you are putting his card in a certain position
which he will see shortly.
Contrived Coincidence
Spectator shuffles his deck. You take the deck and state you will
do a trick in reverse, that instead of you guessing a card a
spectator might choose you will try to have him guess one of your
choice. You say you are thinking of one particular card and that
you will place it aside for future verification.
Fan the deck faces to you to look for your thought-of card.What
you do is to note the top and bottom cards. If, for instance, one is
the 2 of Clubs and the other the 5 of Hearts, you quickly run
through the pack to locate whichever comes first, the 2 of Hearts

or the 5 of Clubs. In other words you find a card of the same suit
as one and the same value as the other.
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Should the top and bottom cards happen to be of the same suit or
the same value, close up the pack and have it cut, apparently as
an afterthought. When you find the card you place it on the table
face down without showing it.
Ask spectator if he can name it. Of course he can't. You tell him
perhaps he may be able to reveal it in a way he never dreamed
of. State that you want him to insert a finger, a knifeblade, a nail
file, or something similar anywhere between the cards.
This done, you lift off the cards above the separation with the
right hand, holding the lower part of the pack in the left. Stretch
the arms far apart, asking him to notice that you separate the
deck at the very spot chosen by him and that there are no quick
moves to deceive him. A slight pause and a little talking at this
point causes him to forget which half is which.
Place the top half in the right hand face down on the table and lay
the other half across it cross- wise to mark "the place in the deck
he selected." This is the basis of an old force. The previous top
and bottom cards are thus brought together. Spectator never
notices the deception but thinks the separation marks the place
he cut to.
Now show your card for the first time. Then separate the two
halves of the deck where they criss cross, turning the top part
face up and the top card of the bottom half face up. Show the
spectator that he has unconsciously designated your card in this
manner. If your card was the 5 of Hearts, you say: "See, you cut
the deck at a 5-spot and at a Heart."
A similar effect with a prearranged deck called "Controlled
Coincidence" was invented long ago by Victor Farelli. The above
impromptu method was devised by Glenn Gravatt, although
others have been mistakenly credited with it.
Contrived Coincidence No. 2
Spectator shuffles his deck. You take back the cards and state
that you are thinking of a certain card which you will remove
before the trick starts. Fan the faces of the cards toward yourself,
noting the top 2 cards, the suits and values of which should be

different. I f alike hand deck back to be cut, as if by an

afterthought.
If for instance the top 2 should be the 3 of Clubs and the 5 of
Diamonds, look for either the 3 of Diamonds or the 5 of Clubs,
whichever happens to come first. Remove it and lay it on the
table face down without showing it.
Hand the pack to spectator, asking him to deal off cards into a
pile and to stop whenever he pleases. This done, he is asked to
pick up the small heap dealt off and to deal it into 2 piles, a card
at a time alternately. This will result in putting the 2 cards you first
noted at the top of the respective heaps. (Cards of course are
dealt face down.)
You now display the card you chose. Suppose it is the 5 of Clubs.
Ask him to turn up the top cards of the 2 piles. He does so and
finds one is a 5-spot, the other a Club. Glenn Gravatt.
50 Modern Card Tricks
23
Adding The Digits
A spectator cuts the deck into 2 parts, having been told to cut
fairly near the center although the parts do not have to be equal.
Your object is to have him take at least 20. He is now to choose
either portion and count to see how many are in it. Suppose he
counts 23. He adds the 2 digits, in this case 2 plus 3 makes 5.
He turns his chosen portion face up and counts to that number
from the FACE of the packet. In the assumed case he would count
to the 5th card and remember it. He places the portion cantaining
his card on the unused portion, thus assembling the complete
deck. You can find his card because it will be 19th from the top.
Another way of using this principle of adding digits is to use 2
decks. The spectator shuffles them and retains one, giving you
the other. Both do the same thing. Each of you cut off about a
third of the pack. That is to keep the number under 20.
Each counts his cards and adds the digits. Meanwhile your back is
turned. If the spectator holds 17 cards, he adds 1 and 7, making
8, and deals 8 from his packet onto the table, or in his pocket. He
looks at the face card of those remaining in his hands, then puts
the packet on the main deck. All the while you pretend to be
doing the same thing but your actions are for misdirection only.

You exchange decks with the spectator, asking him to find the
duplicate of the card he noted io your deck, and you will find the
duplicate of the one you noted in the same way in his deck.
When the 2 cards are removed and shown they prove to be
identical. Apparently you both chose the same card. When you
take the spectator's pack you note the 9th card, which will be the
one he noted. He removes its duplicate from your pack.
Still another method of the digit adding device is this: From his
shuffled pack spectator removes a number of cards from 10 to 20.
He counts them and adds the 2 digits. If he has 17, he adds 1 and
7 making 8. So he returns 8 to the deck. All this time your back is
turned. Now you have him start at the top and call out the names
of the cards. Keep track of the number. When the 9th is called
stop him. His card is always 9th. Should you have him cut off a
batch containing 20 or more and the same procedure undergone,
his card will be 18th.
Another trick using this principle is this: Layout an Ace and an 8-spot face down without showing them. Spectator makes the deck
into 2 piles and takes one. He counts the cards in his chosen pile,
adds the digits and deals the number of cards so arrived at on the
other pile. Thus he will be left with either 9 or 18 cards in his
hands, depending upon how many he took originally. If he took
15, added 1 and 5, and removed 6, he would be left with 9. If he
took 23, added 2 and 3, and removed 5, he would be Ieft with 18.
Have him count the cards remaining, then show your 2 prophecy
cards to prove you knew this in advance. If he has 9, add the Ace
and 8-spot to make 9. If he has 18, show that the Ace (one) and
the eight, represent the figure, 18.
50 Modern Card Tricks
24
Berg's Revelation
The old principle of counting a batch of cards, adding the digits,
etc. is cleverly used by Joe Berg as follows: While your back is
turned a spectator cuts off a bunch of cards from a deck he has
just shuffled, any number at all. He counts how many cards he
has, adds the 2 digits and discards that number of cards from the
bunch, putting them back with the deck.
For instance, if he has 24, he adds 2 and 4, totaling 6. So he
removes 6 cards. He is now asked to think of any number from 1

to 9, and again discard some cards, returning to the deck a

number corresponding to the number he decided upon.
This done, he counts to his thought-of-number (from 1 to 9) in the
packet of cards remaining in his hands, and looks at and
remembers the card lying at that position. He then hands you the
cards which you keep behind you as you turn to face him.
Without disturbing their order count them behind your back.
Whatever their number, subtract that number from the next
highest multiple of 9. The result gives you the position of his card.
If you have 11 cards, subtract 11 from 18, the next multiple of 9,
giving you 7. Thus his card lies 7th in the heap. If there are 24
cards, subtract 24 from 27 (the next highest multiple of 9) giving
you 3. So his card lies 3rd in the heap. If there are 7 cards,
subtract 7 from 9, giving 2. So his card is second.
Emphasize the fact that at no time have you asked a single
question. At the start he helped himself to an unknown number of
cards, that is, unknown to you. He added the 2 digits and
discarded that number unknown to you. And finally he discarded
some more, this time having free choice of the number discarded,
a number which was never announced. He then noted a card at
this freely chosen number.
Remove the correct card and place it face down on the table. Ask
him to name his card. He does so. You turn it up. Marvelous!
Divining The Number of Cards In Pocket
A Gerald Kosky improvement on a subtle mathematical principle
used in several tricks. A spectator shuffles his deck and while your
back is turned, cuts off a bunch of cards, any number at all. You
do not know the number cut off, and you never ask, but he counts
them to himself to ascertain the number he cut off. The balance
of the deck is discarded.
He then adds the 2 digits of the number counted. He removes
that many from the cut-off portion and places them on the table.
If he cut off 17, then 1 plus 7 makes 8, so he would put 8 of the
cards he holds on the table. If he cut off 20, then 2 plus 0 equals
2, so he would put 2 on the table.
Finally he removes any number of cards from 1 to 10, and puts
those in his pocket. You, with your back still turned so you can see
none of his actions, ask him to call out the colors of the
50 Modern Card Tricks

25
cards he has left from the packet he originally cut off, some of
which have been placed on the table, and some of which are in
his pocket. One by one he calls out red or black.
This done, you immediately tell him how many cards he put in his
pocket, which is amazing because at no time did you have any
idea of how many cards he was working with.
You pay no attention to the colors called. This is a subtle device
originated by Gerald Kosky for the purpose of misdirection only.
What you do is simply to keep track of the number of cards.
Whatever that number is, subtract it from its next highest
multiple of 9, and the result gives you the number of cards in his
pocket.
For instance, if he calls out the colors of 7 cards, 7 from 9 leaves
2, so he has 2 in his pocket. If he calls the colors of 14 cards, 14
from 18, the next highest multiple of 9, gives 4, so he has 4 in his
pocket. Should he call out the colors of 20 cards, then 20 from 27
(the next highest multiple of 9) would give 7, therefore he would
have 7 cards in his pocket.
Throughout you stress the fact that you did not know how many
cards he cut off the pack in the first place, therefore it follows you
could not know how many he laid out on the table, andfinally, you
could not know the number he selected to put in his pocket. The
outcome therefore is the result of your powers of divination.
Combination of Chosen Card and Cards In Pocket
A good mathematical principle (or any other principle for that
matter) may be disguised and used in different ways so that
many tricks, all apparently different can evolve from the same
base. The counting of a group of cards and adding the 2 digits
resulting from that count has been used to divine how many cards
a spectator has concealed or hidden in his pocket. It has also
been used to name or reveal a card noted and remembered by a
spectator.
In this trick, the two effects are combined, resulting in a double
climax, although no more effort is needed than performing just
one of the two. Here you not only tell a spectator how many cards
he has removed and put in his pocket, but you also locate a card
he has looked at.

Begin by having a spectator shuffle his pack. Turning your back,

invite him to cut off a quantity of cards, count them sccretly, add
the digits and discard that many cards. Thus, if he cuts off 23, he
totals the 2 digits making 5, and removes 5 cards and puts them
back with the deck.
He is then to think of any small number and to remove that
number of cards from those in his hands and put them in his
pocket. If he thinks of the number 7, he puts 7 cards in his pocket.
Tell him to count down to the card at this same number among
the cards remaining in his hands and make a mental note of the
card. In this instance he would remember the 7th card.
You turn around and take the packet of cards from him. Without
glancing at their faces, slowly pass the cards one by one before
his eyes, asking him to watch for his card but to give you no
50 Modern Card Tricks
26
indication when he sees it, you want to catch his mental
vibrations, mysterious waves emanating from the brain which
may tip you off. What you really do is count the cards.
Suppose there are 11. Subtract the number from the next highest
multiple of 9, which would be 18. If the number is less than 9,
subtract it from 9. A remainder of 7 is left. This is the number at
which the noted card will be found from the top of the packet. It is
also the number of cards he put in his pocket.
Toss out his card (the 7th in the case assumed: and dramatically
announce that he has 7 cards in his pocket.
Matching Cards By Numerology
Glenn Gravatt uses an old principle to produce an entirely new
effect: A spectator shuffles his own pack. You take the cards,
assert that you are thinking of a particular card, which you will
first remove frorn the deck.
Fan the cards before you and rapidly count (silently of course) to
the tenth card, noting it. Suppose it is the 7 of Clubs. Keep on
until you find its mate, the 7 of Spades, that is, the card that
matches it in color and value.
Remove the matching card. Place it face down on the table
without showing it. Ask the spectator to call out any number
between 10 and 20. He does so. We will assume he calls 13. Deal

off 13 cards. This just to reverse their order. Put them back on the
deck.
Tell him that in the science of numerology, with which he is
doubtless familiar, a low number is always arrived at by adding
the two digits of a higher number. In this case he selected 13, so
1 and 3 make 4. Therefore he will get the 4th card: Deal to the 4th
card and toss it out face down.
Turn up the card. It will be the one that was originally 10th, in this
case, the 7 of Clubs. Reminding him that he might have chosen
any number, turn over the card you removed "before the trick
began:' It is the 7 of Spades. "The two black sevens," you say,
"what a strange coincidence.
X-Ray Eyes
Secretly glimpse the bottom card of the pack. Hand pack to a
spectator. Ask him to square up the deck face down on the palm
of his hand. Tell him to pull out the center third of the deck and
drop it on top of the pack. Ask him to mark his .initials lightly on
the back of the top card (the top one of the middle section he
pulled out.) He is not to look at its face.
50 Modern Card Tricks
27
Ask him to give the pack a single cut, then another one or two. He
then ribbon spreads the cards in a long spread on the table, face
up. You note the card immediately above the bottom card you
noted earlier. Mark your initials on its face. Ask him if he can find
his card. Of course he can't because he never looked at its face.
Tell him that if he can't find his own card, there is no way that you
can find it except to look at their backs and locate the one with
his initials. Turn over the cards. Pick out the one with his initials on
the back. Show that it is the very card on which you wrote yours
on the face. Credit to Ned Rutledge.
Back In Place
A spectator shuffles his deck, thinks of a number between 1 and
10, then looks at the card at that number from the top. He now
transfers the Same number of cards from the bottom to the top.
You sec none of this as your back is turned.
You now take the deck and place it behind your back. You stress
the fact that since you do not know the number he thought of,
and since it is no longer at that number inasmuch as some were

transferred from the bottom on top of it, you wiII attempt the
impossible. That is, with no knowledge of his number you will find
it and restore his card to its original position.
Behind your back count off 20 from the top, placing the first
between a thumb and first finger, the second between the first
and second finger, the third on the card between thurnb and first
finger, the fourth under the card between first and second fingers,
and so on, until you have dealt 20. Now put the 10 that are
between the first and second fingers on the 10 that are between
thumb and first finger, then place all 20 on top of pack.
Bring pack into view. State that you have located his card and
placed it back in its original position. Ask him his number.
Suppose he says 7. Count down to the 7th card and toss out. Ask
him the name of his card. He says, for instance, the 3 of clubs.
Turn the tossed-out card face up. Sure enough, it is the 3 of clubs.
Perfect Location
Perhaps the closest approach to the perfect card location, as the
spectator does everything with the deck in his own hands. Hand
deck to spectator. Have him shuffle. Ask him to remove any card,
to note and remember it, then put it face down on the table. Tell
him to cut the rest of the deck into 3 piles ABOUT EQUAL.
Tell him to put his card on anyone of the 3 piles, then take the pile
with the chosen card on top, turn the whole pile over and put it
face up on either of the other 2 piles. He then puts the
50 Modern Card Tricks
28
remaining pile face down on top of all. Thus the pile with his card
will be face up sandwiched between 2 face down piles.
Ask him to give the deck one riffle shuffle. After this he may give
the pack a complete cut or two. The cards will consequently be
well mixed, some face up, some face down. Take the deck and
turn it over. Run through the deck and you will find a few face up
followed by a few face down cards, then a whole batch of face up
cards. The rest of the pack will consist of small batches of face up
and face down cards.
The first face down card after the big batch of face up cards will
always be the selected card. You can then reveal it in any manner.
In seeking his card, what you do is to look for the longest run of

face up cards. His card will be the one immediately following this
run.
Pointers: Make sure the 3 piles are nearly equal. For the riffle
shuffle, make sure the pack is cut as nearly in the center as
possible, then riffled.
Impromptu Card To Pocket
No Sleights
Hand a spectator the pack and turn your back to him. He is asked
to cut a small packet of cards from the top of the pack. He counts
his cards silently, then puts them in his pocket. He then turns the
deck FACE UP and looks at the card from the face of the deck
corresponding to the number pocketed. Thus if he removed 5
cards, he will note the 5th from the BOTTOM.
Spectator cuts the pack so that his noted card will be brought to a
now unknown position. When you turn around you take the pack
and rapidly deal 26 cards onto the table, explaining you intend to
use only the half containing his card. Spreading these 26, ask the
spectator to see if his is among them, and simply to say yes or no
without indicating the card. It is not there.
You say then the other half obviously must contain it. You fan the
rest of the pack face up but he still doesn't see his card. You then
produce it from your pocket. And no sleight of hand is involved.
The method was devised by the renowned Scalbert. The only
preparation-in advance is to shorten one card (any card) by taking
scissors and snipping off a very tiny strip clear across one end.
This short card is placed 27th from the top.
At the point described above where you turn to take the deck, you
say "you lost your card by cutting the pack, didn't you?" and while
talking, give it a cut yourself. What you actually do is to cut at the
short card which is easy because when you riffle the end the deck
will snap open there. Cut the short card to the top.
I have omitted stating that after spectator cuts the deck and
before you turn around to take it from him, he returns the cards in
his packet to the top, so that the 52 card deck will be complete.
50 Modern Card Tricks
29
Once you cut the short card to the top, the chosen card becomes
27th from the top. As outlined above, you say you will divide the

pack in half. So you deal off 26, This leaves his card right on top of
those left in your hands.
Hold these in your left hand while you lean forward to turn those
on the table face up and spread them with your right. The balance
of the pack comes naturally over the opening of your left coat
pocket. At the moment you turn over the cards on the table you
thumb the selected one into the pocket. Thumb just slides it off
from the rest. This misdirection is absolutely perfect.
When spectator cannot find his card, you turn over the other pile.
When he vainly seeks it there, you produce it from your pocket for
a surprise climax.