The Mentalist's Card Staggerer

It is with both regret and pride that I herein release a genuine pet trick of mine.

From the first conception of this advanced effect, it took over four months of intermittent work and thought to develop it to its present unsurpassed form. I want to thank both Mr. Al Baker and Mr. Stuart Robson, both of New York City for various suggestions and presentation points and also for their patience in watching me do it over and over again in order to improve.

The finished effect has completely fooled more than one advanced card man. None other than T. Nelson Downs commended me upon it as a beautifully subtle effect, and then used it himself. I can only ask that you present it EXACTLY as herein described.

In effect, a pack of cards is shown and shuffled. The spectator deals a row of five cards face down. Any one of these he looks at while your back is turned. The five cards only are picked up by you and placed into an empty pocket.

One at a time the cards are drawn forth openly from your pocket until but one remains. This one the spectator removes himself from the pocket and finds it to be his OWN CARD.

Everything can then be examined as there is nothing suspicious to find.

Working

All that is needed is a pack of cards and five extra cards to match. These five are all DUPLICATES. For example we shall call this duplicated card the Ace of Spades. First, take from the deck five cards (among which is the Ace of Spades). Place this Ace at the FACE of the packet of five and place packet in your inside coat (breast) pocket, faces TOWARD BODY. ALSO PLACE IN THIS POCKET, SEVERAL PAPERS OR LETTERS.

Have the upper RIGHT VEST POCKET empty.

On top of the deck place the FIVE DUPLICATES and between the third and fourth cards from top place a CONTRASTING card from deck. For instance, a red picture card. You are now ready.

First, turn deck face up and slowly run through it from front towards back, showing cards and saying "If I were to ask you to merely think of one of these cards and then find it, it would be a very wonderful feat. However, I haven't yet advanced to such a stage, although I am very successful upon a smaller scale."

By this time you are NEARLY through deck (although NOT THE LAST SIX) and you close pack up and turn FACE DOWN. This introduction serves to show the cards all different and well mixed. It also SUBCONSCIOUSLY impresses them with the fact that you are handling the cards freely and carelessly.

With deck FACE DOWN, riffle shuffle once or twice, LEAVING THE TOP SIX CARDS INTACT and on top. Hand deck directly to spectator asking him to deal five cards FACE DOWN in a row. This is a bold move but a SAFE ONE under the circumstances--and he unsuspectingly deals the top five cards out faces down.

Taking deck back you tell him that when you turn your back you want him to turn up and look at ANY ONE of the five cards he wishes--then to replace it--then to move all the cards slightly-- so that POSITION OF CARDS can give you no dues.

Caution him not to turn up a table width="90%" and look at a card as that might bend it so it can be noticed--but to carefully turn over the card so it does not change it at all.

As you say this last you ILLUSTRATE by turning up and showing the FOURTH CARD dealt in the row (which is the contrast card). As you are about to return it you apparently get an after thought, push it into deck and deal another fresh from top into its place. This is one of the principal points of the effect and nothing is said except as stated. THE CARDS IN THE ROW ARE NOW ALL ALIKE! Naturally when you turn your back, one is looked at and returned. Although you do not know which of the five, they are all the same. You pick up the five face down cards. Without a word you hold them with RIGHT HAND while your left hand openly goes into inside (breast) pocket and removing papers or letters therefrom, lays them aside. STAND SO YOUR RIGHT SIDE IS TOWARD THE AUDIENCE.

Left hand takes cards and as you start to put them in pocket you LOOK AT SPECTATOR and ASK HIM DIRECTLY IF HE IS THINKING OF THE CARD THAT HE LOOKED AT in the row. This momentary thought for all takes absolute attention away from your exact actions although subconsciously they notice everything.

Your RIGHT HAND is holding coat open about five inches from body and LEFT HAND (holds cards between thumb and forefinger at end) with faces towards body (See Figure 1).

Immediately turning TOWARD RIGHT the coat is opened a little further SO THAT THE INSIDE COAT POCKET IS IN VIEW--and the audience SEES THE HAND COMING AWAY (See Figure 2) with FINGERS COMING OUT OF THIS POCKET.

But this is what the audience does not see, in that second before coat is swung open. As the left hand goes OUT OF SIGHT into the space between coat and vest (See Figure 1), the cards are PUSHED DIRECTLY down into UPPER RIGHT VEST pocket (See Figure 3) .... and the left free fingers go in to the coat pocket MAKING A VISIBLE "BULGE," which is slightly noticeable from the audience' view of outside (See Figure 1).

This visible "bulge" of the pocket is taken by the audience to be EVIDENCE of cards going into the breast pocket.

DO NOT MENTION POCKET OR WHAT YOU ARE DOING! Give your audience credit for SEEING you first empty your breast pocket and go through all evidence, of putting the cards there. Later, they will see you take them from there also. Therefore, there is no reason for you to mention the action.

Next, ask spectator to HOLD OUT HIS HAND, and with your free LEFT HAND, openly reach into pocket and bring out TOP CARD of heap there. Lay it face down on his open hand.

Repeat with the next three. Do it SLOWLY and OPENLY counting them "TWO"--"THREE"--"FOUR"--as they are removed. When FOUR are out, state that but ONE is left in the pocket.

Tell gentleman to reach in with his free hand and TAKE HOLD of the one card left BUT NOT TO DRAW IT OUT. When he has it, ask him to NAME for the first time the card he was thinking of. Then have him draw out the card and hold it up. IT NATURALLY HAS TO BE HIS SELECTED CARD!

At once they can examine all the cards, the cards in his hands, and the deck. It is now complete with 52 cards and there is nothing suspicious to find. YOU HAVE PERFORMED A MIRACLE .... WITH 100% CHANCE OF SUCCESS!