talkmagic.co.uk

Magic trick by mail!!!
by Soren Riis

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Hi let me show you and one of your friends a card trick! I am sitting here writing this email, together with two of my friends!

Besides your friend (your helper) you also need a deck of cards. Make sure you both give the deck a good shuffle.

Thanks!

Pick a small pile of cards from the deck. If its too small or too big we might get into trouble later and its more likely you (or your friend) will mess up the trick! So to keep things easy try to cut of lets say between 10 to 15 cards from the deck. The exact number is however completely up to you, and determined by your free choice.

Only the small pile of cards you just cut off matters from now on! To reduce chances of confusion please remove all other cards from the table.

So in your left (or right) hard you are holding the small pack of cards you have randomly selected from a deck of shuffled cards.

Give the cards you are holding a further shuffle.

Now I will ask one of my helpers (remember I have two helpers) to select randomly any number (lets say between 1 and 10). Lets see…..By the way her name is Anna and she just told me she selected THE NUMBER TWO.

Make sure you hold the pile of cards face down. Have a careful glimpse at the card number two from the top and REMEMBER this card. Also let your helper have a glimpse of the card.

Make sure the card remain in the second position (from the top) after this glimpse. This is your KEY card. Please remember the card!!

Ask your helper to select any number BETWEEN 1 and 10. OK…

Deal this number of cards (one by one) face down onto the table.

If you have any cards left you might give them a brief shuffle and add these cards (face down) to the pile you just dealt.

Pick up the pile! Hold the cards face down like before.

It is now my turn to select a random number. My number has to be between 1 and 10.

Well I have now chosen a number! MY NUMBER IS FIVE.

Please deal five cards face down onto the table. Add the remaining pile of cards on top.

Pick up the pile of cards from the table. The cards are all face down and clearly it is impossible for me (or any of my helpers) to know where you card is by now!! Maybe its on top of your pile, maybe near the bottom of your pile. There is clearly no way to tell!

Anyway we will randomize the procedure even further!!

How many letters is in your first name? How many letters is in your helpers first name? Add these two numbers.

Deal this number of cards (face down) onto the table. If you run out of cards just continue. If you have some cards left, give these cards a good shuffle and put them face down on top of the pile on the table.

Pick up the pile of cards. Now I ask my second friend to choose a number between 1 and 10. My second helper is Peter and he choose… SEVEN.

Please deal down SEVEN cards. Do not yet turn over the 7th card, but hold it in your hand.


Recall the card you selected originally (the KEY card you were asked to remember).

Now please turn over the card in your hand!

Yes this is YOUR CARD!

AMASING!! Not only is it your card, but you have successfully been able to understand and execute a very obscure, tedious, pointless and difficult procedure of instructions with success!! Congratulations!


(Oh… And if was not your card? Then try David Copperfields easier version of a similar effect on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dt9nT3xom_Q )