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I have just come back to magic after many years and I was going through the stuff in by loft. I came across a pack from International Magic which was cut diagonally in half. The problem is, I can't remember the routine. I have looked on IMs web site but the description does not match the cards I have got. They are not just a pack cut in half.

Can anyone point me in the right direction to remind me how to do this trick please.

Brian

Could it be Joe Riding's Split Decision? Sounds like it might be.

Hi Replicant

From our PM conversation, it is not "Split Decision"

Brian

I remember this Brian,

There should be one whole card which is the prediction. One half of the pack is shown face up, the other face down. A card is chosen from each half but when chosen, they don't match up. Then the prediction is turned over and it matches the 2 split cards.

Tenko, isn't that Split Decision by Joe Riding then? I used to own this but sold it a while ago, but I'm sure the effect matches your description.

Replicant,

I have a routine I wrote in Apr 1993. I called it Split Decision. I titled it, 'A Full deck Trick, My Own Version of Banana Split'

I can't remember Joe's effect nor can I remember Banana Split

Quoting cards for magic ...

The magician shows a deck that has been cut in half diagonally. The cards for both halves are fanned face up to show they are mixed then turned back face down. A spectator then each select one card from the first half of the deck, and a second spectator selects a card from the second half of the deck. Amazingly, when the selected halves are put together and turned face up they match to form a complete card! A baffling effect!

You can find this effect in "Paul Daniels' Adult Magic" by Barry Murray - although the cards there are cut horizontally.

Barry

There are quite a few tricks that use a similar premise - a deck of cards that has been cut in half. As well as the ones mentioned earlier, there is also Docc Hilford's 'Split Up', which is rather nice, and particularly good for pocket management purposed, as you only carry half a deck!

However, the effect Brian T has is almost certainly the one usually referred to as 'Split Deck'. It comes in two forms, that I know of. In one, as Marvell describes, a card is chosen from each half of the deck. The two halves match.

The other version is the one Tenko mentioned, where the two halves do not match, so it looks like the trick has gone wrong. Then it turns out that the magician's prediction is a half and half card that matches both selections.

The former is a much 'straighter' version of the effect. It doesn't require a prediction card and can be played in a number of ways, including as a mental effect. The latter is more of a comedy 'sucker' trick and, if it's the version Brian has got, he'll need to find the special prediction card too (or make one).

Here's a performance only video of the first version: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=DFeQwYK92Ww

Thanks Part-timer

The video is of a performance that could be done with my cards. It's just a shame mine don't fan as well as the ones in the video. I'll have to get some zinc stearate (is that the stuff you use these days?)

I think the usual view given on this board is that fanning powder is really only needed for manipulation acts. Have your cards perhaps got a bit warped by damp? Do they still 'do the trick'?

I have had them for 30 odd years and they were stored away in the loft for most of that time. Yes, they still do the trick but the handling is not as smart as in the video.

Thanks for all the advice.