• The Count Down Trick
• Card Changed Under Foot
• The Traveling Card
• What Number, Please?
• The Sensitive Location

T H E   C O U N T   D O W N   T R I C K

Run over a number of cards in the pack, asking that one be selected and that its location be remembered; shuffle pack, ask for some number between 10 and 15, then inquire at what number the selected card was when you ran the cards through. State you will cause it to appear at the number selected and dealing off to this number, the next card will be found the one selected.

OPERATION
Request that party remember a card and that the location of same also be remembered, shoving off top card into right hand and calling out "one." The next card, shove clear over the side of pack, so that it can be plainly seen, counting "two," but place this card on top of the other card first taken off. Do likewise with "three," "four," etc., and after having reached the count of eight, inquire if they have selected a card, BUT TAKE ONE MORE OFF PACK onto packet in right hand, which will give you nine cards therein. Place these cards back on the pack, and if you can make the pass, shift three cards from bottom to top of pack, if not able to perform the pass, loosen three cards, and, as if cutting, slip three cards to top of pack, on top of the cards just replaced; false shuffle, without disturbing the top dozen cards, at the same time asking for a number between 10 and 15. Thirteen will be given you in the majority of cases, in which event you already have the three cards necessary on top of the pack. Then inquire at what number their card was, at the same time getting ready to pass that number of cards from bottom to top of pack. If they say their card was third, pass or slip three more cards to top. After the above operation, if they gave you number thirteen, and their card was third, then their card will now be the thirteenth one in the pack, though you do not know the name of it.

Here is the idea: You reversed the cards as you took them from the pack. If their card was fourth when taken from pack, adding four cards will cause it to be the tenth, etc.

Then the number they gave you, say "12," requires that two more cards be placed on top; 13, three more, etc. By first passing three cards to the top you have half the operation performed before you ask any questions; then You can pass the desired number to bring their card tenth. Suppose you pass three cards, and they say "number 12"- you have one card too many, but if their card was fifth in the pack, then pass but four cards, which will make their card now the twelfth.

In taking off the cards, watch party's eye. As a general rule you can tell which card they selected, as the eyes by a wavering or turning signal you this fact. If you are a good manipulator, take a chance at this number, passing this number and three additional, being prepared, if your guess was wrong, or they do not give you number 13, to pass additional cards to top, or to palm off the requisite number before handing pack to your assistant for counting.

C A R D   C H A N G E D   U N D E R   F O O T

Remove the top two cards from the deck, exhibiting as one card, requesting party to hold, and then change mind, asking that they stand on the card, so there will be no chance of it getting away, and while bending down, either with first finger shove off top card, so that it can be caught against floor with the fingers and dragged free of hand, allowing party to place their foot on it; or, with a throwing motion, allow top card to - drop to floor, retaining in both cases the previously shown card in palm of hand, and when straightening up, the deck, which has been held in left hand, is transferred to the right, leaving this card on the top of the pack.

Execute the pass, holding cut so as to force the card just replaced on top- which is supposed to be now on the floor.

Force this card on some other party, requesting that they do not look at the card, and as soon as removed from the deck, take it away from them yourself, asking that they also stand on the card so as to prevent anything going wrong. Ask first party what their card is; they will tell you the name of the card first shown. The second party on being asked will not know. Tell him that is all right; it doesn't make any difference, but that you will cause the two cards to change places, and go through the necessary motions. Again ask first party what he had- then tell him to pick up the card, which will be found to be an off card, while the exhibited card will be found under foot of the second party.

The same result may be obtained by actually only taking one card from the pack, freely exhibiting, and as you turn away execute the top change, placing the off card under his foot, and forcing the exhibited card on second party.

T H E   T R A V E L I N G   C A R D

A few moves to use for one well versed in sleight of hand, varying slightly the average ran of off- hand effects.

Hand the deck for examination, calling attention to the fact that there are no duplicates, and asking that one card be removed from the pack. Apparently hypnotize this card, so that it will obey your commands. Place on top of deck, cut pack near middle, stating you will lose card in the pack, but really perform the slip pass, leaving the card still at top of deck. Inquire where card is desired, on top or bottom of deck, inserting little finger under top card, preparatory to making the pass, if necessary. If the selection happens to be the top card it is already there; if at bottom, pass to that location, exhibit, and when turning cards over, shove the card off the side (see "The Side Steal"), replacing on top. False shuffle, stating you will again endeavor to have card appear on top, bottom or in the very center of the pack. If on top- card is already there; if requested at bottom, pass to bottom; if in middle, cut near center, using the slip pass; leave in center apparently; in reality, when placing halves together, pass to top.

Ask at what number from top the card is desired; either pass the required number from bottom to top, or use the old stall of counting yourself, and then allowing spectator to count, after you have reversed the order of the cards; again false shuffle cards, slipping card to bottom of pack and then inquire at what number from bottom it is desired. On learning this number, begin taking cards from bottom of pack, but left little finger has in meantime moved back the bottom card a half inch or more, the pack being grasped overhanded, and this card will not then be observed (further explanation under "The Sucker and the Aces"). If it was desired to be at the sixth card, after removing five, little finger pushes back this card, the pack is turned over and there she is. As a climax, the card is slipped to top of pack, shuffled, and while handing to spectator with request that they remove the card and see that there are no duplicates, the card is palmed off and placed in your pocket, or, if possible, in the pocket of a spectator; from either place it is subsequently removed when found to have left the deck.

W H A T   N U M B E R,   P L E A S E ?

Previous to showing this little off-hand effect, it is necessary to arrange your cards as follows:

Place an eight and a nine of any suit on the bottom of the pack, the eight being the last, or card showing when pack is turned over; on top of the pack place a six and seven of any suit, the seven being the top card of pack.

Fan out the cards, allowing one to be selected, just so it is not either one of the two top or two bottom cards. Request the spectators to note their card, and to please not forget what it is at the same time inserting your finger under the seven top cards, extend hand to have card replaced, and then carelessly lift off the packet above little finger, so that the card is replaced below these seven cards.

It is not necessary to shuffle the deck, but if you are good at false shuffling this may be done,- as long as the two bottom and eight top cards retain their present position. Ask the party who selected the card to give you some number between five and ten.

Let us suppose seven, the number most frequently selected, is given Turn over the top card, exposing the seven, saying 'You said seven -that is right- just count down and see if the seventh card is not yours," you holding the seven in your hand.

If six is given, slip top card to bottom, turning over top card of pack and exhibiting the six, allow spectator to count down to that number after you have removed the six- or, you can leave the six in position, saying "Remove six cards and see if the next one is not your card."

If eight is called for, turn pack over, showing an eight on bottom of pack; state something to this effect- 'Yes, that is right-my little indicator always tells me if you guess the right number, just count down and see if the eighth card is not yours."

If nine is given, slip the bottom card to top of pack, show the nine and proceed as above, for the card will be the ninth down in pack.

T H E   S E N S I T I V E   L O C A T I O N

A freely selected card is returned to pack, the pack placed behind back, after being thoroughly shuffled, the performer pattering to the effect "that after considerable practice his fingers have become so sensitive that by touch alone he can tell a card that has just been held by any person, placing the cards behind the back, so that it will be impossible for him to obtain even a glimpse of them." After a certain number have been removed. he says that the next card is the selected one, and this is found to be correct.

Again the fake card, as explained under "Cards to the Pocket," is used.

Place this card somewhere near center of deck, have a card selected, replaced below this fake card; cut the cards at this point leaving selected card on top (or perform the pass), false shuffling deck.

When the cards are held behind back, any number are removed, from the bottom, and then when the selected card is felt (?) the top card is displayed, and found to be the one just chosen.