Here's a cute "betcha" you
can use when there's a willing and ready spectator
allowing you to kill time with a deck of cards
at his expense. Follow along with cards in hand
to get the idea.
The magician holds a packet
of face down cards. Spectator is asked to name
a number from one to ten, let's assume it is
number three. The magician deals cards face
down in two stacks starting left, right, left,
right, until all cards have been dealt. However,
on the named number, in this case number three,
that card is turned face up and dealt on it's
respective stack. The dealing continues until
all cards are exhausted. The two stacks are
assembled, left going on top of right, and the
procedure is repeated. Again the card at number
three is turned face up during the deal. This
is repeated until all the cards have eventually
been turned face up.
Here's what has happened. The
magician started having all cards face down;
however, as the procedure progressed one card
was turned face up during each deal, This card
always fell face down at the named number. Even
when there was only one remaining face down
card it arrived at the named number three.
The entire procedure is repeated
using a different named number, and again, the
card at that number will always fall face down.
A face up card will never fall at the named
number. Don't forget to always turn the face
down card at the number face up.
It is repeated using still
a different named number, and again the results
are the same. This must be done until the spectator
realizes the procedure. However, when he is
invited to try at some point in the deal a face
up card will appear at his named number. Hence,
he loses. He can do this again and again using
any number, yet at some point in the procedure
he will lose as a face up card will fall at
the named number.
Yet the magician again proves
it can be done correctly every time.
Here's the business. Start
using twelve face down cards, though never mention
how many you actually have. It will work every
time. However, before the spectator tries you
must glom off two cards. He will use ten cards
and it won't work. Don't forget to always turn
the card at the named number face up.
This nifty little stunt has been
in my notebook since the middle 60's. I don't
recall where it came from; however, it falls in
my notebook during a period when Mel Brown and
I were hobnobbing with Eddie Fields in the San
Francisco Bay area. Hence, my guess it was given
to me by one of those two friends.
