Instantaneous Card Memory

Heretofore, memory work has necessitated a lot of study with mnemonics and word key lists. Card work was made doubly hard through having to learn two lists and very few have ever successfully accomplished this work although it covers many wonderful feats.

My new card memory effect is based upon several subtle ideas and principles which require but a moment's understanding. There is nothing to learn or commit to memory, and ten minutes from now you will be able to do it on a few minutes notice.

Nothing but a deck of cards is used and they may he borrowed, provided you have a chance for a THREE MINUTE PREPARATION. Calling attention that deck is thoroughly mixed, performer gives it a GENUINE RIFFLE SHUFFLE and several straight cuts. Stating that to use the entire pack would lengthen the feat too much, the pack is turned face up and dealt into two piles, reds in one and blacks in the other. Performer takes the two packets face down on hands and gives spectator free choice and the packet remaining is dropped in pocket out of way. He stands in full view while spectator cuts packet several times and then calls out the order of the cards from top to bottom, back to face. Then, to avert any suspicion of confederacy or signal, performer goes into another room or out of sight. Immediately he calls order of cards correctly through packet, can repeat them back-wards if wished and as a conclusion names card at any number called or the position of any card named.

This effect is always appreciated by intelligent people as a demonstration of memory. There are methods for the genuine working of this effect but I have devised a counterfeit method that requires no memory and proves equally as effective. My greatest point is that NOTHING BUT THE DECK IS USED.

Beforehand, separate the pack into red and black piles. Shuffle the black heap and spread out face up. Arrange the values in the red heap to correspond with the order of those in the black pile. And, in regard to the suits, whenever there is a Club in the black heap, you use a Heart of the same value in the red heap.

Whenever there is a Spade, you use a Diamond. Thus one represents the other and by looking at the fifth or eighth card in one heap, you can instantly name the card in that position in the other heap. Cut each of these separate heaps so that different values appear on the face, place the black heap on top of the red heap, square deck and you are ready.

Call attention to the fact that deck is shuffled. Cut deck at bottom of black heap and give the two halves a genuine riffle shuffle, then several straight cuts. Turn deck face up and deal a card at a time into two heaps, black cards in one and reds in the other. Turn packets face down, one on left hand and one on right. Give spectator FREE CHOICE and the packet !eft you drop in pocket as you tell him to cut his packet and then read cards to you from back to face.

You appear to listen intently to all the names BUT YOU DO IS TO REMEMBER THE LAST OR FACE CARD OF HIS PACKET. Then you leave their sight. You take packet from your pocket, look through and find the card in your packet that represents the bottom or face card of their packet. Cut your packet so this card is on bottom or face of your packet AND NOW YOUR PACKET WILL BE IN THE SAME ORDER AS THEIR PACKET. Holding packet face down in your hand, deal them face up in a row from left to right and overlapping, naming each as you turn it up.

After every fifth card dealt, jog the next five, either up or down, about an inch in the row. After you have thus gone through them, ask anyone to name a number and as you have them jogged in sets of five you can locate any number instantly and name cards located there LONG BEFORE THEY CAN COUNT TO IT in the other room. The same applies when finding a named card and telling the location of it.

When finished merely pick up the pack and drop in pocket before returning. You have performed a real feat of memory which cannot be surpassed in effect by the real thing--and yet you don't need memory at all.

The last subtlety of jogging the row of cards makes your replies almost instantaneous. There is no wait until you count to position, which you would otherwise have to do.

(Annemann - Mental Miracles)