Royal Road to Card Magic The

of the packet, and the ace will be the face card. Place this packet on the bottom of the deck.
    1. False shuffle the deck, using the overhand false shuffle, keeping the arranged cards on the bottom. Spreading the upper three-quarters of the deck, invite a spectator to select a card.
    2. Square the deck and place it on the table. Have the spectator show his card to the onlookers, and announce that you will have the card replaced in such a way that all must be convinced that it is lost in the deck.
    3. Invite the spectator to place his card on top of the pack and then cut and square the deck himself. This done, have him cut a second time and complete the cut.
    4. Take the deck and place it on your left palm, extend your left fingers, and invite the spectator to cut again and place the cut on your fingers. Complete the cut yourself, lift the deck and replace it on the left palm. By holding your hand rather high you can secretly glimpse the bottom card as you replace it on the palm of your left hand. If the bottom card is a club, square the deck and place it on the spectator's left hand. If the bottom card is not a club, simply repeat the cutting until a club appears on the bottom.
    5. Stress the fact that the repeated cuts make it impossible for anyone to have any conception of the position in which the chosen card lies in the deck. Let us suppose that after several cuts you glimpse the seven of clubs at the bottom of the deck. Square the deck and place it on the spectator's outstretched left hand. Announce that by long practice you are able to estimate exactly how many cards have been cut each time and that therefore you are able to tell exactly where the chosen card lies from the top of the pack. 'It is now,' you assert confidently, 'exactly twenty-one cards from the top.'
    6. 'However,' you continue, 'there's no magic about that. Simply a matter of keen observation. Anyone can do it with practice. I propose to do something really magical. I will count backwards from twenty-one, mentally, and you will call “Stop” at any time you please. The chosen card will rise in the deck as I count and you will then find the card at the number I have arrived at. I am counting now, so say “Stop” whenever you please.' When the spectator calls, assert that you had reached the number seven, always naming the value of the club at the bottom of the pack as your number. The jack, queen and king are valued at eleven, twelve and thirteen respectively.
    7. Have the spectator deal six cards on to your hand, and then name his card. The seventh card is turned face up and it is the chosen card!
    Note that if you count the cards dealt on to your hand, reversing their order under pretence of verifying the number dealt, they will be back in their original sequence. By placing them on the bottom of the deck you can repeat the trick or use the set-up for the following feat.
    Deal Away
    There is nothing more surprising to the layman than to be allowed to find his own selected card under conditions over which he seems to have complete control. That is what seems to happen in this self-working feat.
    1. Having shown the trick we have just described, and having replaced the dealt packet at the bottom after reversing its order - so that the arrangement of clubs at the bottom runs from ace to king, the ace being the face card - say, 'Perhaps you are unwilling to believe that there is such a thing as mental control. I can assure you that there is and that one person can dominate the thoughts of another. For instance, I am now thinking of one of the cards, and I am projecting my thought to you. I want you to make your mind a complete blank and then name the first card that comes to mind. The card will be the card I am projecting to you. Are you ready? All right - quickly! Name a card!'
    'The seven of hearts.'
    'Right!' you exclaim. No matter what card he names, you tell him he has named the correct card. 'Why, it's marvellous!' Look quizzically at him and everyone will be amused at your swindle.
    2. After a moment, say, 'Ah, you don't believe I projected my card to you. Very well, I'll offer you proof that there is such a thing as mental control. Here, please take a card.' Spread the pack and have one removed from the upper three-quarters. Square the pack and place it on the table; have the card shown to all and then placed on top of the pack, after which you invite the spectator to make one complete cut, thus burying his card at the middle, with the