The Ramo Samee Card Trick
By Dai Vernon

BEFORE mentioning this trick, it should be noted that in the excellent volume. "Magician's Tricks and How They Are Done." by the late Henry Hatton and Adrian Plate, is a feat they describe as "one of the most incomprehensible tricks ever invented." While the Hatton and Plate trick is excellent, it depends upon the use of a deck of but 32 cards. and that I do not care for. Further, it depends upon the performer's memorizing several tables. As my method uses the entire deck and does away with tables. it is actually new. The feat is a favorite with several of my magician friends and I call it by the name they have given it--"The Ramo Samee Card Trick." Ramo Samee, an East Indian magician. was the first recorded performer of his nationality to appear in America. There is nothing East Indian about the trick--but then you know how it is with a name for a trick.

I deal four poker hands. Quite naturally, I deal myself the best hand, but this is all merely preliminary to the trick. Once the hands are seen, I "happen to recall" another feat. I ask someone to think of any card In the deck. The choice is entirely mental and he neither touches a card nor writes down the name of the one he has in mind.

Then quite naturally. I pick up one of the hands of poker just dealt, and ask if there is a card of the same value among those in the hand. The second hand is shown in the same way, and the same question is asked. The third and fourth hands also are shown one at a time, and the same query is made. On these last two hands the further question is made as to whether, in these hands, are cards of the same suit. Immediately after these questions, the magician announces the name of the card held in mind by the spectator.

The secret consists of the choice of the cards in each of the four hands. In the illustration are shown the cards I suggest that you use. Variations in the choice of the cards may be made, but you will find the cards suggested work well with audiences. In the illustration alongside the hands are the numbers 1-2-4-8.

First please consider the method of discovering only the value of the card. This is done by adding together the numbers of the hands. As an example, if the mentally selected card appears only in the first hand, the total number is 1 plus 0 plus 0 plus 0, or 1. One is the same as Ace-therefore the card is an Ace. If found only in the second hand, the card is a Two. However, if it appears in both the second and third hands, but only those hands, it is a Six, because the numbers of those hands 2 and 4--when totalled make 6. There are but two exceptions to this rule. If a card of the value thought of is not seen in any of the four hands, the card held in mind is a King. If the card value is found only in the last hand, the card thought of is either an 8 or a Jack. This Jack is the only card for which any fishing need be done. The magician can say "Is it a picture card?" If it is a picture it must be a lack, and if not a picture it must be an Eight.

Now as to suit. If the two hands shown in the bottom row of the illustration are studied, it will be seen that clubs are found only in the hand numbered four. Hearts will be found in both hands, while spades will be seen only in the hand numbered 8. Diamonds will not be found in either hand. Therefore, when the magician asks if a card having the suit of the one held in mind is seen in either or both of the hands, he will know by the answer which suit it is.

If found in both--hearts, and if in neither--diamonds. If only in one hand--clubs, and if only in the other- spades. In order to have the hands made up of the cards illustrated, of course the deck must be set up either prior to performance, or. for those having the necessary skill, during the performance of other tricks. It is not necessary to set up the pack so that poker hands may he dealt. I like that idea, but others may wish merely to count off four sets of five cards--"merely indifferent cards"--after the pack has been shuffled. Of course a false shuffle is indicated.

It is very simple to remember the value of each hand. For the first hand is numbered 1. The second is twice one, which makes it 2. The third is twice two, or 4. The last is twice four, or 8.

The description on paper may make the trick sound involved, but it will be found very easy to perform. Work it on yourself, using the illustration.

This is a trick which may be repeated several times without the secret becoming the least bit apparent. After a few trials, it will be found possible, easy and most effective to "read the minds" of two persons simultaneously.