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Ok I didn't really know what title to use to grab your attention, but I just had to share this with ya

I went out on Sat with the family for a meal and I got around to showing a few card tricks (just for a change )

Well, I started showing my bro-in-law and about 3 other people, the Biddle Trick. I had him select a card and then I removed the packet of cards above it and I held them in my hand as if I was weighing them. I then explained that I could tell roughly how many cards I had and that I would be able to cut down to his card after I replaced the packet back on top of the deck. (If you know the Biddle Trick you'll hopefully know what I'm on about - soz about the c*** (not the best) explanation ).

Now here's one I've never had before, he promptly asked me how many cards were in the packet. I just looked at the packet that I was supposedly weighing, realised it was slightly smaller than the rest of the deck and uttered with complete confidence, "there's 23 cards here - it's obvious." Imagine my surprise when he asked to count the cards and there were, yep you guessed it, 23 cards. I think the fack that I appeared so confident when I stated there were 23 cards really sold it (I dunno what I would have done if there hadn't been 23 lol ).

Anyway I continued with the trick and his face was a picture (I don't think he realised that this card guessing bit wasn't actually part of the routine).

Now usually people are quite impressed with the kicker ending in the Biddle Trick. I could tell that he was quite impressed, but he was obviously still reeling from my lucky guess 'cos all he kept saying was "how the f*** did u know how many cards were there?" Heh heh - don't u just love it when this kinda thing happens

Anyone else had a similar experience when something unexpected happens mid-trick and goes in your favour

I love the bidle trick , and that made me smile that you guessed that there was 23 and was right. Only problem is he may want you to do it again. I was told i dont know how true it was but there was a guy who able to cut the deck , look at the at the thicknes of each packet and in a couple of seconds. went 33 or how ever many.

I use to do a mentalist type thing (Craig isnt reading this I hope) where i gave some one a box of invisable matchies say take some out. and say shake the box and guess the number they removed. Nine times out of ten it worked, I dont know how it did.

There is probley many outs you could have used if you missed the 23, something a long the lines of it felt like 23... Maybe the cards had a bit of dirt on and its made them feel heavy or something a long the lines.

Well I congratulate you on your excellent luck.

One thing I can recall was doing a quick coin vanishing trick where a one in a million shot made me look like a true coin pro.

I was just doing a simple strike vanish using a sharpie as a "wand". I did the motion and when I made the move, I almost botched the catch - but to my amazement, I actually caught the coin in an almost goshman pinch. I immediately turn my hands face up and showed both hands completely empty. The reactions were amazing.

I love t when you think "oh dear" and then you get a stronger bit of magic out of the botch. Like the time i boomeranged a card missed the catch it landed on the tip of my thumb and spun around. Never could get that to work again.

While working a couple of tables at a small gig the other day I vansihed a sponge ball (what elese eh?) went to reproduce the ball out of the sleeve of the spec. Couldnt find the ball (if you know how it was done i think you know what i mean) so picked up the other sponge and said well might as get rid of that one too. I didnt get the worlds best reaction but it was a lucky out and i saved a lot of face.

Just remembered I had another lucky turn as well.

At the same meal I was showing my missus' sister and her boyfriend a trick where I had control over their selected card (obviously without them knowing it ). Anyway I was shuffling the cards and I was in the process of shuffling their selection from the bottom to the top of the deck - I didn't really know how I was gonna reveal their card - I was just improvising (plus the beer was beginning to kick in too ).

Well, as I was shuffling the last few cards off I lost my grip and their card flew out and landed face up on the table (I knew this was their card as I glimpsed it when it was on the bottom of the deck). As it landed on the table I just calmly stated "there you go, there's your card!" (or words to that effect), as if it was part of the routine lol

Their reaction was priceless - I couldn't do that again even if I wanted to. Let's just hope I don't get asked to repeat this one

man, i've had loads of weird 'guesses' like this. Say I randomly look at a digital clock and just say 'NOW' in my head and the minute changes Weird things like that, and also in magic yeah. 'I'm goign to cut to an ace' [Not using any force or anyhting at all, just swing cutting] and then i do! I did this with three aces in a row.

I have done erdnase changes on the bus to work once, where I have cut to four random parts of the deck, and each card changed to a seven.. I was being watched and that sparked a reaction..

True story...........

I was once asked after a table performance by a guy, what colour knickers his wife had on. He had a huge grin on his face as he asked, as if to say that you've got no change of knowing.

Of course I didn;t klnow but I immediately replied BLACK which instantly knocked the smile right from his face. Total lucky guess and most probably statictics may show that there's a higher chance of black being correct.

However, his face was a picture as you could just tell that his mind was going theough the gears trying to fathem out how I knew.

Similar, but not lucky. Performed 2 card monte to a friend (who's also into magic) and he thought I actually did the gambler's switch.

Two that happened earlier today:

I was sitting at my computer and my girlfriend was at the couch behind me. She was surfing the web and randomly said "Hey, it's Brad Pitt's birthday today, guess how old he is" off the top of my head I say 43, and turn out to be right. Needless to say, she wasn't impressed but annoyed.

About seven minutes later she says "Time magazine released the person of the year, guess who it is" being a smart-ass I immediately reply "It's me." .... a long pause follows. Suddenly my computer chair is twisted around and she says "It's 'YOU'" I stay straight-faced and replied "well, it was about time." Turns out that Time magazine's person of the year was "YOU" because of something about the Internet and the news one chooses to consume.

All of which earned me a lecture about how I can adopt any persona I want for the purpose of Magic but not when it comes to her.

Moral of the story: use every coincidence to your advantage (but perhaps not when the Significant Other is involved.)