The Master Mind

I claim nothing original except the combination The effects are secrets that I have picked up here and there sometime or other and if I could give certain credit would gladly do so. It is all mental work and I would advise its use as I have done; for small groups of intelligent people and is especially fine for publicity.

Have two decks, one red backed and one blue backed. The red deck has a wide card which preferably should be a black one. This deck is arranged for effect number one, and the numerical system is not hurt if this wide card (black) is cut to the face of its pile and this pile placed on top of the reds. This is simply to make it easier in cutting the two portions apart for the shuffle and it saves a bridge. The papers I use for pellets to write on are all alike throughout the act and all pellets for each test is folded the same way. I got quite a supply of this paper at a printer's cut to about 2-1/2 x 2. Also use a pen to write with as it seems to make a better impression.

You also use two pocket indexes like the cards from pocket, but I would advise you to make up two as I did, out of playing cards riveted at the end as they are more compact. In these indexes which repose in either trouser pocket, you have fifty-two folded pellets reading "Your card will be.........." and here have the name of a card. These are written in ink, folded and put into the Indexes so that you can get the pellet for any card Instantly.

The blue backed deck is in your left coat pocket and at the face of it is one of the red backed cards, and this is the card (ace) that was discarded from the red deck in arranging the numerical system.

At the beginning I borrow a stiff hat to keep papers in as this is a necessity for the second and last tests and if used for the others waylays suspicion of it. After working the first test with the red deck, I work into second with same deck as all that is needed is the wide card. From that I take out the blue deck with extra red card and either borrowing an envelope or using one of my own, do the third. The blue deck is replaced in pocket and the fourth and fifth tests resorted to. I have (lone this routine before experts and the different twists and slight changes of effects and conditions has kept them tearing their hair.

THE ACT: The red deck is arranged thus: One of the black aces is discarded (put at face of blue backed deck in pocket) and the two colors of deck are separated and you arrange the black portion in the following order regardless of suits:

4 J 3 Q 2 K A K 2 Q 3 J 4 10 5 9 6 8 7 7 8 6 9 5 10

With this arrangement of the black cards, they can he cut any number of times and two cards taken from any place together always total either 14 or 15.

Now the red packet is taken and the 15th card from the bottom up is noted. This is because the cards are later reversed and this makes it fifteenth from top. As there is a wide card in the black pile, it is cut to the bottom and the black pile placed on top of the reds.

Performer takes a slip and writing a name on it folds and drops into the hat. Cut the pack at wide card and give a genuine riffle shuffle. Turn deck face up and separate the two colors, dealing two piles, one at a time. These moves leave the two packets in same order as at first except that they are reversed, which has been prepared for. Now performer gives es, black packet to spectator to cut and remove two card,; together and add them up. If total is 15 he is told to count flown in red, packet and look at the fifteenth card, but if total is 14 he is told to count off fourteen cards and look at the next. The card is thrown on table face up and the pellet is opened and reads. "Your card will be ..........."

Now put deck together and have freely shuffled. You take back and cut several times, leaving wide card on bottom, and you turn up corner and note name of top card of deck. Turn to a man and have him think of a number between one and twenty-five. You take a pellet and write on it the name of card just noted and write above it, "The lady will get the ..........." pellet and drop in hat, saying you have written something for him. Hand him deck, turn your back and have him count off on table the same number of cards as he thought of. At the same time the lady is to watch and see and remember how many he counts off. When he has done so, he looks at the top card of the pile dealt off, returns it and lays deck on top of pile and cuts. Performer picks up deck and as he turns to lady and asks if she knows the number, cuts at wide card and as he lays deck on table notes top card.

Taking the other slip he writes, "The man will get the .........." (writes name of card just noted. This is folded and dropped into hat also.) Deck handed to lady and she counts same as man did and notes last card dealt. Now as the denouement, have them name the cards and then open the slips and there are the names of the cards anti identified as to which is which. I always ask for the persons' first names before I start and use them, which is better effect. This effect I didn't mention in the beginning, but this really is third and the others are advanced one number.

Using this same deck with wide card, have same shuffle again and hand out three slips and pencils to people. Take deck. cut wide card to bottom. Explain that you want three people to take deck in their own hands and note a card. First person like this: hold deck in left hand, face down, with right remove a bunch of cards from middle of deck, note bottom card of bunch and lay all on top of deck and cut. Illustrate several times for one person and then false shuffle, bringing wide card to top.

They do so and hand deck back. You have second person watch you. Tell him to hold deck face up in left hand and with right thumb turn back index corner of deck anywhere and note card. As you tell him this you do it and your right thumb cuts deck at wide card and performer sees the card that first person noted. The second person notes a card and the third the same way. bul. you don't need to know them. Have the names written on slips and folded and you collect with hat but watch them so you can tell which one is the one you know.

Set hat on table and he sure no one is back of you. Take out one pellet, one that you don't know and after psychic bunk give name of one you do know, at same time opening one in hand and reading name; refold it and Place on table behind hat. Now take out the other unknown pellet and give name of one just read and open this one in hand and read.

Now, when you fold up and place behind hat with other really finger palm and reaching into hat apparently bring out last one, but is one just read. Applarently you cannot get this one, so have owner hold in his own fingers and then you name it and ask him to open it and show the. others you are correct. You tip the hat backwards, mouth down over paper at rear and pick up, and then pick up papers as it you just dumped the pellets out. The last move tools the wise one who might have an Idea of the one ahead method.

Now take the blue backed deck from your pocket with the one red back card at the face and borrow an ordinary letter size envelope. Both decks are shown by fanning face up and then back up, but the red card in blue deck is not seen due to being at face of pack and left covered by several cards when fanned.

Red deck handed out for shuffle. Performer looking through blue deck finds a card and places openly in envelope. What he really does is this; supposing the extra card in this deck is the Ace of Clubs, with faces towards audience, he runs through and finds the blue backed Ace of Clubs, but without letting anyone see it puts it on top of deck, and now the two aces are together with the blue one on top. I forgot to mention that just before fanning to find other ace, performer shuffles the red backed ace to top of deck and as deck is fanned towards spectators and because the blue ace is put on underside of deck, the red ace is never seen. These two aces are picked up together as one with the blue back out and slid face down in envelope.

The spectator now freely selects any card and hands, face down, to performer, who notes and remembers card, but without showing, slides into envelope back of those already there. Now, after remarking of the two different colored backed cards being selected, performer's first, he draws out the two front cards, and after showing the backs to be different, turns them over, showing they are both alike.

Red card is handed back and blue is returned to performer's pack. He again looks through and takes out a card, but this time it is a duplicate of the card already in the envelope.

This card the performer puts face down in front of one already there. Then spectator hands over his card, this is shoved face down between the two. When taken out, all three are together, being apparently two, but squared so it is impossible to tell how many. On top is your blue backed card, and beneath are the two red backs; you take off top blue card and show two bottoms as one. Turn over blue card and show and then turn over the two reds as one and show.

The envelope is thus left free of any cards and placing cards back on their respective decks, all can be examined. I have given details for the first time and last. You can do the trick indefinitely but would advise only twice and then quit.

This is not a trick in a way but works about 80 per cent of the times and is not always certain but I find most people work my way. I use it before the last effect of this routine, and if it fails it is covered with a strong finish that cannot fall. It must be worked rather fast, not letting spectator have a chance to think of only what you are talking about, and tends to get them rather flustered.

Four cards are dealt off face up on table by spectator and you write on pellet and drop in hat. You take four cards and shuffling. lay face down in a row. Turning back and walking away from table you have person take any card and place in Pocket. Without touching other cards, you have him read pellet and there is name of card.

It is the, old subtle force of having the second or third card in the row about an inch ahead of the others which are dropped carelessly in a row. When you first saw the selected four face up you wrote the name of one of them and then while picking them up and dealing have this one out of position. Now you start talking faster and get rather excited yourself and impress upon spectator he is to do it the minute you turn back and say Go. Now when you tell him this immediately turn your back, walk away and say Go--pick up a card quick--are you ready? By working immediately you tell him what to do you don't give him a chance to make a selection in his mind and all he thinks is pick a card out and then grabs. If you fail, say you are sorry but you will try again, using whole deck Instead and work Into last test. Leave it out if you care to, but I always use it because of the uncertainty and the desire to see if I can win out against the spectator.

The two above mentioned indexes containing pellets are in your side trouser pocket. Now you write on a slip, fold and drop in hat, but really only finger palm it and leave in pocket a moment, when you place both hands in pockets with Indexes and commence to pace back and forth. Have person to merely think of a card and then, finding it, place face down on table. Then spectator names it and turns it over.

The moment he names card, performer asks him If anyone Influenced his choice, but meantime Derformer locates the Dellet in the index to correspond with this card and finger Palms it. When person turns over card. performer takes hand holding pellet and picks up hat, thumb outside and fingers Inside. dropping pellet, and has person remove it and read aloud. There you are for the grand climax.