Table of Contents

Card to Envelope

In my book Inspirations (Martin Breese, 1987), I introduced an effect called ‘Envelope Prediction’. This version, performed during my close-up act at the Blackpool convention in 1979, requires no palming or card manipulation, making it nearly self-working!

Lie To Me

A spectator selects a card and returns it to the deck. You hand them an old coin, claiming it sends “truth waves” to the deck. You then ask a series of questions about their card, allowing them to either lie or tell the truth. After each response, you cut the deck and reveal the top card, which always matches their answer. Finally, the spectator retrieves a card from your pocket, revealing it to be their selection. The three answer cards are then shown to have transformed into the three mates of their chosen card!

Clouseau for Workers

You display the Ace through Ten of Diamonds in order on the table. A spectator selects a card from the deck, which is then shuffled back in. You spread the Diamonds face up and ask them to name a number between one and ten. If they choose seven, you flip the 7D face down and close the spread. After a magical gesture, you count to seven, revealing the spectator’s selected card instead of the 7D, which you later produce from your pocket.

JackAces

You place the two black Jacks on the table. A spectator selects a card, which is lost in the deck. You drop the black Jacks onto the deck, and they instantly collect one card—revealing the spectator’s selection. You explain that the red Jacks were busy with another task, then spread the deck to show the red Jacks reversed in the middle, trapping the three mates of the selection.

Countless Ace Turning

This method addresses a challenge posed by Roy Walton in Cardboard Charades (also in The Complete Walton Vol. 1) regarding performing Dai Vernon’s Twisting the Aces without counting cards.

Matter of Facts

This is another take on the Lie Detector effect. You place a packet of four cards face down on the table, claiming it to be a cardboard lie detector. A spectator freely chooses a card from the deck, which is placed at the bottom of the lie-detector packet. You then ask a series of questions, revealing the truth with each answer as the top card is turned over.

Twister’s Bluff

You display the Royal Flush in Spades and set the rest of the deck aside. All five cards are face down, and you cause the 10 to turn face up, dealing it to the table. You repeat this with the Jack, Queen, and King, leaving only the Ace, which mysteriously disappears only to be found in your pocket—no palming required.

Return of the 7

A spectator selects six cards, then chooses one more as their personal selection. After mixing the cards, you demonstrate how cards follow each other like sheep. You turn the top card face up, and suddenly all seven cards are face up, except for one stubborn card that remains face down. When revealed, this card is not only their selection but also the only red card!

Homing Cards

Two spectators each select a card, which is lost in the deck. The first selection travels to your pocket, remaining visible. You then attempt to make this selection travel again, reaching into your pocket to reveal the first card once more. Finally, you lower the fan to show that the card sticking out has transformed into the second selection.

Little Sympathy

You give a spectator a packet of eight cards. After they cut the packet and deal the top card, you mix the remaining cards face up and down. With a snap, all cards right themselves except one, which turns out to be the matching mate of the initially selected card.

PLUS BONUS ROUTINE

BLACKSTONE in My Pocket

By Chip Kleiman & Peter Duffie, you introduce a deck of cards and explain that Blackstone, a legendary magician, will assist in an experiment. You display ten blank cards, each marked with a letter spelling “BLACKSTONE”. After mixing, a spectator pockets one letter. Another spectator shuffles the deck and selects a card, signing it before returning it to the deck.

You then ask the first spectator to think of their letter. After some concentration, you name it. You claim this letter will help find the second spectator’s signed card. For instance, if the letter is “K”, you spell out the alphabet while dealing cards. When you stop at “K”, the card turned over is not the selection. However, you reveal that Blackstone has intervened, and you produce the signed card from your pocket.