Card Marking

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The PM Card Mark System

Plus Assorted Miracles

by Pete McCabe

No drawing

skill required—

if you can write, you

can mark a deck.

80+ pages of

easy-to-follow

instructions

and great tricks

Mark your own Bicycle deck with a Sharpie.

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In this book/pdf/ebook/ibook/epub/torrent, you’ll learn how to put the PM Card Mark System to work for you. You’ll learn to mark your own decks quickly and easily. You’ll learn some great tricks using your new marked deck, many of which are coincidentally dead easy to do. I have some ideas for using your marked deck to strengthen tricks you already do, and a section on ways to use a PM-marked deck in memorized order to create absolute miracles.

You’ll See

The PM Card Mark System is the only one I know that has these three features: •! Mark it yourself with a Sharpie

•! Value and suit are written in easy-to-read numbers and letters •! Marks can be read from a deck spread between your hands

For many years I worked on a way to mark a deck of cards to meet these criteria, and twelve years ago I came up with the system you’re about to read. Now I mark every deck I use. It takes about 15 minutes and is incredibly powerful.

Just try it once. Tonight, spend a half hour less online in a magic forum, and use that time to mark a deck of cards. See if you don’t fool the hell out of everybody.

Update v1.1

This is version 1.1 of this book, which means that it has a couple of new tricks and the occasional new idea for an existing trick. If you’ve already read it and are just looking for the new stuff, do a find for “Update v1.1”

Or, read the whole thing again. You never know when a trick that you skipped over the first will look better the second time around.

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References

The first card mark system I used in any meaningful way was Bob Farmer’s Farmarx system, which uses a Sharpie to… it’s a little tricky to explain, because some of the marks work differently than others. But basically you change part of the back design to create shapes that indicate the numbers and letters of the values and suits. I used the Farmarx system for years and it was the thing that convinced me to put in the time to create my own system.

My primary goal was to move the marks closer to the corner so you could read them from a spread. But I was also influenced by Ted Lesley’s system, which was the second I used. Ted’s is the easiest to read—it puts the suit and value right on the card—but ultimately, it was too expensive for me to use it all the time. My system was created to do the same basic thing, but in a way that I could put on myself with a Sharpie.

I have since learned that the idea of putting the suit and value right on the card was first published by Al Baker as “The Baker Readers” in Pet Secrets (1951). I also learned that the basic idea of creating the marks by modifying the card’s existing back design was also Baker’s. He drew white lines by scratching away the ink with the pointed corner of a razor blade. If only he had a Sharpie.

I’ve also since learned that Harry Riser’s Marking System in The Feints and Temps of

Harry Riser uses an ultrafine Sharpie to block out certain white parts of the design of the

Bicycle back, so it resembles the index of the card. Thanks to Bill Goodwin for bringing this to my attention. Feints and Temps also has a couple of great marked-card tricks to add to your arsenal.

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Materials Required

• A deck of cards

The PM System is designed for Bicycle Rider Back cards and is specific to that brand. Once you get the idea, you should be able to apply it to many other brands (although I doubt you’ll be able to make it work with Bee-backed cards).

• An ultrafine Sharpie

You can use a standard blue Sharpie for a blue deck. I used that for years; it’s not a perfect match but it works. Fortunately, a few years ago Sharpie introduced a rainbow of new colors, and the “Navy” colored Sharpie is the exact color of blue Bicycle cards. You may have to go to an art supply store if your local Office Depot doesn’t carry them, or just go to officedepot.com. Get a couple.

The standard red Sharpie is a perfect match for red-backed Bicycles. • A comfortable chair

Use one that allows you to work comfortably leaning forward. • A desk or other clean working surface

Clear yourself a little extra space the first couple of times you mark a deck. • A good light

Don’t underestimate the value of good light, especially if—like me—you mark your decks at night, after everyone else in your family has gone to sleep. The marks are of necessity small, and applying them in dim light adds unnecessary stress on your eyes. I can mark a complete deck in about twenty minutes, but it’s twenty minutes of fairly close work. A comfortable, well-lit working environment makes everything easier.

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Understanding the System

The first step in putting this marking system to work for you is to look at the angel, in the upper left corner of the standard Bicycle back design.

All your marks are going to be written in this area. The value of the card will be written in the body of the angel, while the suit is written in the swoopy white thing under the angel.!

Okay, let’s have a look at the mark for the Ace of Spades. I’ll explain how to draw the marks in a bit: for now let’s just have a look inside the two white circles. The A is on a bit of an angle, but even at a glance the A and S are immediately obvious and easily readable.

Here’s the King of Clubs. Again, both K and C are very easily readable.

Reference Points

Now that you know what you’re looking for, have another look at the unmarked angel above. See the line formed between the crook of the right elbow and the armpit? Believe it or not, that line is the

key to the whole system. I’m going to call it the arm line, and I’m going to call it that a lot.

The next most commonly mentioned reference point will be the angel’s nipples. I swear you will never hear angel’s nipples mentioned so many times in your life, but they’re an integral part of the system.

Just remember that when I say the left nipple, I mean the angel’s left, so it’s the one to the right from your perspective.

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Drawing the Marks

These instructions for drawing the marks might seem unnecessarily detailed. In fact, they have been called “insane” by a magician you and I both respect greatly. You probably don’t need them. If you can draw, you can just look at the marks and reproduce them, probably even better than I made them. If you can’t draw, like me, then you hate people like that. But you can still just look at the pictures and copy them. You’re not making art, just a readable mark. So feel free to skip ahead.

The most important tip by far is: get into a routine. Put the deck on your table face up. Take the top card and put it on the table face down. Mark it, then stack it face down next to the (face up) deck. Doing this consistently will greatly reduce the number of times you will put the wrong suit on the back of a card.

By the way, if you do mis-mark a card, immediately tear it in half, or maybe practice your Mercury Fold with it. Don’t take the chance of it getting into your deck.

When you’re done, double-check the marks on every card, at both ends. You aren’t finished marking the deck until you have checked every mark on every card.

Reference Card

Here’s a picture of the angel again. Take a moment to notice the following details, all of which will be mentioned in the instructions that follow.

Suits are drawn in the swoopy thing that covers the angel’s lower half. I’m going to call it the swoopy thing. There are no parts. It’s just the swoopy thing.

the left end

of the arm line

the elbow of

the arm line

the left nipple

the right nipple

the right

collarbone

the left

collarbone

the place where

the right breast

line intersects

the arm line

the point of

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Ace

Draw a line from the left nipple, through the right nipple, down to the point of the right shoulder.

Draw a line from the left nipple, straight down through the elbow of the arm line and across the arm.

Draw a line between the first two lines, filling in the arm line, making it more even.

Two

Starting from the elbow of the arm line and moving left, draw the curved bottom of the two.

Going up from the left side of the curve, make the hook top. Three

First a straight line across from the middle of the neck to the left nipple.

Then a straight line from the left nipple down to the left end of the arm line.

Finally a curve that starts along the arm line and then curves back under.

Four

First a line straight down through the left collarbone to just past the left end of the arm line

Then a line straight down from the left nipple till it touches the solid blue under the arm.

Finally a line connecting the two vertical lines, filling in the arm line.

Five

Start with a short vertical line, from the end of the arm line, up until you’re level with the left nipple.

Now a short horizontal line from the top of the first line to the left nipple.

Finally a curve that starts along the arm line and then curves back under. This is the same as the bottom of the three.

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Six

First, draw a small circle that starts at the elbow of the arm line, sweeps left with the arm line, then curves down and circles back around.

Now, starting at the left nipple, draw a curve that swoops down through the right nipple and merges with the left/ bottom of the circle. Nipple nipple nipple! Sorry, I… sorry. Seven

A horizontal line from the right collarbone to the left nipple. The line should just touch the nipple.

Diagonal line from the left nipple, through the place where the right breast line intersects the arm line, across the arm.

This is a European 7 with the line across the stem. Eight

Draw a circle that starts at the elbow of the arm line, sweeps left with the arm line, then curves down and circles back around—like you’re starting a six.

Draw a duplicate circle above the first one. Try to incorporate the breast line. For God’s sake don’t stare at it.

Nine

The right breast is a quarter circle. Draw in the complete circle. Draw a vertical line that just touches the rightmost point of the circle, down across the arm to the solid blue. Note that the vertical line doesn’t blend into the circle; the left edge of the vertical line just touches the right edge of the circle.

Ten

Draw a line from the left nipple, through the place where the right breast intersects the arm line, across the arm to solid blue. Draw a line that thickens and extends the left half of the arm line all the way to solid blue on both ends.

You’ve just drawn an X, a Roman numeral 10. The idea of using X for 10 goes all the way back to Al Baker.

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Jack

Start by making a shallow u-shaped curve along the arm line. Then a vertical line through the left nipple.

Horizontal line on top goes across into the angel’s left arm. Queen

All you’ll be drawing is an oval. It starts where the right breast intersects the arm line, and goes up, following the right breast. It sweeps around, not touching solid blue anywhere, and comes back to the intersection where it started. The arm line makes the tail of the Q.

King

Vertical line from the left collarbone, through the end of the arm line, across the arm to the blue background.

Diagonal line from the left nipple to the end of the arm line. Diagonal line that thickens the arm line then continues across the arm.

Clubs

Your c can touch the right edge of the swoopy thing at the bottom right, but not at the middle left or at the top right.

Diamonds

Make an uppercase D, and make sure the left straight side is straight.

Hearts

Lowercase h. The single line sticking up is an important visual cue for your eye.

Spades

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Key Card

The last step is to corner mark the Three of Clubs. Here’s how:

The Rider back design has a thin white border that runs all the way around the inside of the blue rectangular background. Fill in this line at the corner. Do all four corners.

It may seem like overkill to mark a key card in a marked deck, but they really provide different functions and work extremely well together. This simple mark can be spotted in any spread much more quickly than a single card can be identified, and can be detected from a greater distance than the marks themselves. A lot of tricks get much easier or cleaner or stronger with just this simple mark on one card.

While we’re at it, put a breather crimp in the card. It can’t hurt, and quite often it makes real miracles possible. Most breathers I’ve seen are made with the thumbs on the back of the card, so the crimped card will cut to the bottom. I want to cut the key card to the top of the deck, so I can see the corner mark and know where it is. So I make the breather with the thumbs on the face of the card.

Even if you decide that this marking system is too much work, don’t overlook the value of having this simple key card in your deck. If I go to somebody’s house, and there’s a deck of cards, I’ll corner mark the Three of Clubs with a ball-point-pen.

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Card Case

When you are done marking a deck, the last step is to mark the card case. I mark every deck I use, but sometimes I’ll open a deck without marking it. So it’s pretty handy to be sure, before you even pick up the case, that the cards inside are marked.

What I do is apply the key card mark to the image of the back design on the cardcase. Just fill in the four corners and you’re good to go.

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Assorted Miracles

Like any magical method, a marked deck is only valuable if there are extremely strong tricks that use it. Fortunately, there are. Some of them are in this section right here. The value of the following tricks is that they are great tricks, well constructed. They are clean, direct, miraculous. What they aren’t is big original ideas; I use proven techniques combined and adapted to the capabilities of the marking system. So what the following may lack in novelty, they more than make up in directness and power.

What else?

Carl Ballantine used to levitate the lid off a basket, then take an oversized scissors and cut the invisible thread that had been holding it up, whereupon it would fall to the stage. He looked up at the audience with a shrug and asked, “how else?”

There are a lot of magic tricks that suffer when considered from this perspective, and it is an especially important consideration when using marked cards. Almost everyone who has heard of playing cards has heard of marked cards. So if you do any trick with a marked deck, you want to keep the audience from thinking that a marked deck may have been involved. The best way is to combine the marked deck with another secret—a gaff, sleight of hand, or some other secret principal—so that the audience won’t even consider a marked deck, because a marked deck wouldn’t explain anything.

Each of the routines in this book uses some other secret in combination with the marked deck. The secret may be an additional gaff, or a sleight, or a principle, or even, as we’ll see, just a compelling presentation. But there is always something to keep the idea of the marked deck from even coming up.

Who is Alex?

When I wrote Scripting Magic I used some standard names for spectators. Lee was anyone on your left, Chris was in the center, and Ricky was on the right. If the trick required a couple, the woman was Eve and the man was Adam. The most common name was Alex, which indicated anyone, either gender, sitting anywhere.

When I started writing this book I figured I wouldn’t bother with this, especially since all I would require is Alex. But in writing up the descriptions it quickly became very awkward to write “the spectator” all the time. So every time there’s a spectator, I’m going to call him or her Alex.

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Stop Sign

This is a severely clean version of the classic stop trick. You never touch the deck and most of the trick can be done with your back turned.

No Setup

Alex shuffles the deck and tables it. While this happens, make a show of warming up your mind-reading sensitivity. When Alex stops shuffling, say “I knew you were going to stop there. I’m warming up.” Rub your temples with your thumbs, as though this were difficult work, and while your hand shields your eyes, read the top card.

Turn away. If you are not sure of Alex’s ability to correctly interpret your instructions, it may be better to move a small distance away, so it is clear that you cannot see the cards, but you can watch Alex and make sure your instructions are followed.

Have Alex pick up the deck, saying “Deal cards one at a time into a neat pile on the table. Stop dealing any time when you have a card in your hand.” Alex looks at this card, memorizes it, and puts it back on the deck. The pile from the table is put on top and the deck is tabled. Have Alex cut the deck, then cut it again.

Now Alex picks up the deck and begins dealing cards from the top, face up, saying the name of every card. “Please do not give anything away when you reach your card, just keep reading.”

Listen for the card you saw on top of the deck. The next card is the selection—you can say “stop” right when Alex names it.

Or

Let Alex go two cards past the selection, and say “Wait a minute—you just said it. I didn’t notice your voice change when you said it, but I noticed when it changed back. Repeat the last three cards.”

When Alex repeats the selected card, that’s when you say “Stop! That’s your card, the three of whatever. Clubs! The three of Clubs!”

Notes

The idea of this script is that I am hearing something in Alex’s voice. So at the end, I don’t even know what card it is, because I wasn’t paying attention to what was being said, only how.

This is just one possible presentation. Stop Sign is one of those useful tricks where the script is entirely separate from the method. You have to talk Alex through the process,

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but the magical power you are demonstrating can be many things. And you are very free to add details to that power—to make it more specific, thus more real—without worrying that the method won’t support them.

I think this is because the underlying methods—marked cards and the key-card principle—are both very basic. By this I don’t mean simple, I mean fundamental. They are more powerful because they are at the base. In many ways the most basic assumption about playing cards is that you can not identify them from the back. That is the basis of all real-world uses of playing cards.

Basic methods make it easy to develop presentations. The fewer requirements your method imposes on what you say, the freer you are to say what you want. I like that.

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Core Meltdown

This trick started when Magic Castle librarian Bill Goodwin showed me an online demo of a Pit Hartling trick called “The Core.” In effect the spectator freely named any card, and Pit went through the deck and eliminated half of it, again and again, until there was only one card—the selection.

With a marked deck, I realized, you could do the same trick but allow the spectator to shuffle at the beginning. Gradually the presentation expanded itself into the following which can involve up to five spectators.

This really is a damned miracle. Look at it from the spectator’s perspective: they shuffle, they make a free choice of a card, they make all the choices to eliminate cards, and they end up with the chosen card.

This trick uses the marked deck in combination with equivoque. This is not hard to do, but the process is not fun to read about, and even less fun to write. Just remember that any equivoque process takes many times longer to read than to perform.

There are a number of ways to do a full deck equivoque, so if you already know one, use it.

I’ll describe it for five spectators: Alex1 through Alex5. In the Variations section we’ll go over how to adjust to an audience of fewer than five.

Go

Hand the deck to Alex1.

Alex1 shuffles or cuts the deck and names either red or black. Alex1 hands the deck to Alex2, who shuffles (or cuts, whatever) and chooses a suit. Alex3 shuffles, chooses even or odd; Alex4 chooses high or low; and Alex5 chooses a single value. Let’s say they end up at the Three of Clubs.

So, and you might want to emphasize this, a single card has been named, in the fairest possible way, and the deck is thoroughly mixed. Now you’re going to have a card chosen physically. “To make it dramatic, we’ll do it like a game show, by process of elimination.”

Now you pick up the deck and deal it into two piles on the table. Two things have to happen here. The first is that you have to read the marks so you see which pile the selected card goes into. The second is that you have to do it so casually that no one

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would ever suspect you were reading the marks on the back of the cards. Your script can cover both objectives.

“Alex1, in a second you’re going to have to make a choice. I cannot influence you, it would invalidate everything, so I will not even look you in the face. (Look down, and start dealing.) But everybody else can watch, as you do your psychic warmup, so you can make a quick decision. What would a psychic warmup look like, anyway? Show us. Remember, you must not think. Can you do that?”

This script justifies your looking down, but more importantly, it allows Alex1 to join in the fun of the show in a non-threatening manner, which absolutely commands attention. Often, while you are looking down, everyone else will laugh at some funny face Alex1 makes, which is a chance for you to say that you wish you could look, which will get a laugh while making a memorable reminder of the fairness of the trick. You end by asking if Alex1 can answer immediately, so you can play off of how fast Alex1 answers this question.

At some point along the way, you will see the named card. Deal it slightly jogged to the right. Try to remember about how far down it is. Definitely remember what pile it’s in. This is the hardest part of the trick, by the way—delivering this short speech in a natural way while also reading the marks of every card. One thing that helps is to deal carefully, keeping both piles square. This very naturally motivates going at a slower pace. But what really helps is practicing this skill. Name any card, then deal the deck into two piles, delivering your speech. It makes no difference whether you memorize the script or improvise it every time—to do it effectively takes practice. How much? As much as you practice any sleight-of-hand sequence.

When you are ready, turn your head towards Alex1 and say “Ready? Immediately, now —left or right?”

If Alex1 says “Left,” you say “Left!” and pick up the pile that contains the selection. If Alex1 says “Right,” you say “Right!” and pick up the pile that contains the selection. In other words, no matter what Alex1 says, you repeat it, then pick up the pile you want. The deception works two ways—you don’t say if you mean your right or their right, and you don’t say if you’re going to eliminate or use the one they say.

In equivoque, I believe, clever wording is nice, but what matters most is that you act as though you are simply executing the standard process of elimination, based on what Alex1 says. You don’t have to act, really. In fact, don’t act. Just repeat what they said to no one in particular, and pick up the packet.

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While you are picking up the packet, get a break over (or under) the selection.

Take the 26 eliminated cards and hand them to Alex1. “Here, you voted these off the island, make sure the Three of Clubs isn’t in there.” While Alex1 is doing this, you begin dealing the 26 cards into two piles, one in front of you and the other in front of Alex2. This time you know exactly when the selection will come, so you can note which pile it’s in, and rightjog it, without paying attention to the dealing at all. Don’t look at Alex2, but look sideways at other people; this is at least a little funny and extremely disarming. At some point Alex1 will confirm that the Three of Clubs was not eliminated—react to that, you’re impressed.

Turn back to Alex2. “Alex2, you have the next choice. Are you ready?” Again you have a chance to discuss the immediacy—or lack thereof—of Alex2’s reply.

When Alex2 is ready you say “quickly: front or back?” Whatever Alex2 says, you pick up the pile with the selection, regaining the break. Hand Alex2 the eliminated pile to check, and turn to Alex3. Tell Alex2 to make sure you didn’t eliminate the Three of Clubs. The same two-layer deception as in the first choice works for you here as well. Tell Alex3 to do a quick psychic warm up as you deal out the 13 cards. Notice that each time you deal, it’s only half the time of the previous deal, so you have less and less time to prep each spectator for their psychic warmup. This natural rhythm is a very powerful thing, by the way. Ask Alex3 to pick up either packet; if it has the selection, continue by saying “and hand it to me.” If it doesn’t have the selection, nod, then pick up the other packet.

Either way, turn and ask Alex4 to hold out both hands, and then, as an aside, remind Alex3 to “make sure you didn’t chop the Three of Clubs.” Deal your cards—either 7 or 6, depending on which pile the selection ended up in—into Alex4’s hands. Start dealing at normal speed, but speak fast, saying “Alex4 you need to warm-up quickly, because important decisions come upon you in life when you least expect it, and put down one group of cards!” Again, if the selection is put down, you pick up that packet. If Alex4 holds the selection, nod, and reach out for the packet.

When you turn to Alex5 you are left with either three (usually) or four cards, depending on the selections in the previous two stages.

For three cards I use the following, which I believe was Annemann’s preferred procedure. Hand all three to Alex5 and say “Quickly, hand me back any two.” If Alex5 keeps the selection, you say “You eliminate these two. If they are not the Three of Clubs…” turn them both over, then direct Alex5 to turn over the card in her hand to climax the miracle. If you get the selection, nod at the card Alex5 is holding and say

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“eliminate that one, turn it over.” Alex5 does; it’s not the Three of Clubs. Now take one from me.” If Alex5 takes the selection, you wave the card you are holding and say “eliminate this one,” show that it is not the Three of Clubs, and toss it to the table. Keep staring at the card in Alex5’s hand until it is revealed, then lead the reaction. If Alex5 leaves the selection in your hand, nod at the card Alex5 is holding and say “eliminate that one, turn it over.” Wait until Alex5 does so, then look at the card in your hand, smile, and reveal the miracle.

For four cards I use a sequence from Gary Ouellet’s book Close Up Illusions. Pick them up, mix them around until the selection is third from top, then spread the four. “Pick up the first finger of your right hand and touch any card…” Usually Alex5 will touch the selection (second from your left), in which case say “We eliminate these last three,” turn them over, and conclude as above. If Alex5 doesn’t touch the selection, just continue “… and with the first finger of your left hand, touch any card.” Now at this point if Alex5 is touching the selection, you eliminate the two cards not being touched. Otherwise you eliminate the two cards being touched. At this point in the routine you are basically just mumbling “eliminate those,” like it’s not necessary to repeat but you’re just saying it for completeness sake. Either way there are two cards left. Hold one in each hand and say “take one of these.” If Alex5 takes the selection, you turn your card over and toss it on the table, saying “eliminate this one.” If you are still holding the selection, nod at the card in Alex5’s hand, say “eliminate that one,” and then reveal the miracle.

Whew!

One of the things that is difficult to convey in print is how energetic the equivoque part of this process is. Every deal is twice as fast as the one before, so the pacing is built into the routine. And each selection spins off a side eddy of activity as the eliminated pile is searched and—still good so far!—doesn’t have the Three of Clubs. The drama builds automatically and people can’t help but get swept up in it. When the final card is turned over, the release of tension is tremendous.

Variations

If you are doing the trick for fewer than 5 people, some of the people are going to have to make more than one choice, both in selecting a card and in the elimination phase. With two people you can just have one pick a suit and the other a value. I will leave it to you to adapt to any number between 2 and 5. But I will say this: make the selection process conversational. Talk to the people about the choices they make. Talk to them about whether they choose to shuffle or cut the cards, and how they shuffle. Ask if they play cards. Talk with them. This trick has tremendous potential for you to interact with the audience. That’s one of the strongest features of the trick. That plus the fact that it’s a miracle.

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At several points you pick up half the deck, obtaining or reestablishing a break over the selection. You can eliminate the need to reestablish the break by the simple expedient of not squaring up the cards. Just pick up the partially unsquared packet, and deal without squaring. If you try this you’ll see that it looks very fair.

Ace Proofreader Rich Cowley suggests corner crimping the selection when you locate it, so you can keep track of it and grab your breaks more easily.

Credits

As mentioned, this was inspired by Pit Hartling’s “The Core,” which uses a different method. You can download the video of Pit’s trick at www.vanishingincmagic.com, or read it in Steve Beam’s Semi-Automatic Card Tricks Volume 7.

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Three Simple Miracles

This is a trio of closely related applications of a marked deck to one of the very best and most powerful things you can do with a deck of cards. In effect, Alex freely chooses a card, and you divine it. The reality is almost exactly that clean.

This basic effect is the first trick you might think of for your new marked deck. But if you don’t do it carefully, it’s pretty easy for your audience to come up with the very same idea. For example, if you just have people choose a card from a spread, and you read the back, and divine the card, it won’t take too long before somebody says “Aw, those must be marked cards.”

Because of the way these tricks are done, a marked deck will not occur to your audience, since it wouldn’t explain anything. In fact, in all of these tricks there is a moment where you can mention that some people will think you are using a marked deck, specifically to cancel that method.

Any of these tricks can be done by itself or in combination with other tricks, but they are written to do all three in a row. They are just different enough that they can be presented as demonstrating the same psychic power under increasingly strict conditions.

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Simple Miracle 1

This is very possibly the best trick in the book. The effect on the audience is very strong. The handling is incredibly clean and it looks very much exactly like what real mentalism would look like.

I mention this because it does not read like the great secret in magic you’ve been looking for. Just try it.

Setup

Start with your key card Three of Clubs on top. Go

Shuffle if you like, keeping the key card on top. Or you can shuffle freely and then at the end, cut at the breather crimp to bring it to the top. Either way it’s very easy to shuffle casually, completely disarming, and end up with the Three of Clubs on top.

Put the deck on the table and ask Alex to cut off any number of cards and hold them together. Alex now looks at the face card of the cut off packet (i.e. the cut-to card) and remembers it. Alex cuts the packet, and then lifts up some of the cards still on the table to bury the packet in the middle. You can turn your back for some or all of this procedure, but just keep in mind that if Alex doesn’t follow your instructions, the trick won’t work.

At this point you recap how extremely fair that selection and return process was, and it sure was. The selection was completely free, and it is well and truly lost—neither you nor Alex have any idea where in the deck it is.

But there’s one thing you do know: you know that it is directly above your key card. The Three of Clubs starts on top. Alex cuts off a packet, which has the Three of Clubs on top, and remembers the bottom card. When this packet is cut, the selection ends up directly over the key.

You are now going to read the marks in the context of a completely natural action, which the spectators will not remember as part of the process at all. What happens is, while you are talking about how fair that selection process was, you pick up the deck. “A lot of magicians, when you pick a card, they spread the deck,” and here you pick up and spread the deck, “and some of them can make you pick a certain card. But you cut anywhere,” you continue, as you retable the deck, “so I couldn’t possibly force you.” To the audience, this little interlude is nothing more than an illustration of an alternate process that wasn’t used in this trick. So no one remembers it.

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But it’s actually the method. Because when you spread the deck, you find the key card, and then you read the mark of the card just above the key. Take your time and don’t stare. Spread until you catch a glimpse of the key, then look up to the spectator as you are talking. Now, as you mention that other magicians “can make you pick a certain card,” look back at the deck as you take the card above the key and outjog it, as though pretend-forcing it on the spectator. Put the deck down, making a point of having your hands off it when you get to the words “so I couldn’t possibly force you.”

Now you read Alex’s mind. I hate to tell you, after this dead easy method, that this is by far the hardest part of the trick. If you can make it seem that you are reading Alex’s mind, the trick will be a miracle. If it seems like you somehow knew the card, that will be a great trick. But not a miracle. So it’s worth practicing pretending that you are reading someone’s mind.

Variation

A simple variation of the selection process is to hand the deck to the spectator and have them pull any card out of the middle, memorize it, drop it on top, and then cut the deck. I don’t like this as much because I think that no matter how clearly you explain it, some spectators will want to stick their card back into the middle. But it is entirely in the hands, so it’s good to know.

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Simple Miracle 2

Setup

Start by cutting the Three of Clubs back to top. You did put in a breather crimp, didn’t you?

Go

Go through the same selection process as Simple Miracle 1, pointing out all the points of fairness. Ask the spectator to cut either high or low, “just to add even more randomness.” If you didn’t turn away during the first selection process, you can do it now, since the spectators know what to do and are much less likely to screw up (talk them through it, though, just to make sure).

At this point, to repeat the whole explanation of how some magicians can make you pick a certain card would be extremely suspicious. So instead, when Alex leaves the deck on the table, you lean in and try to get a telepathic link. But what do you know, you’re not getting it. Take a guess at the color, and then, right or wrong, say you think Alex needs to see the card again, to solidify the visual image.

Pick up the deck and hold it in front of Alex, backs to you of course. Spread the cards as you explain “even though I couldn’t know where the card is, don’t react when you see it.” While spreading, spot the key and read the card above it. Ask if Alex saw the card; Alex will say “yes.” Hmm. Still not getting it, so hand Alex the deck to find the card, and cut it to the face.

Now, when Alex is staring at the card, you finally start getting an image. Slowly you name the card.

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Simple Miracle 3

Setup

None. This trick begins with Alex shuffling the deck, so it’s fairer than Simple Miracle 1. But the revelation is not quite as direct. Just a trade off you’ll have to consider.

Go

Have Alex shuffle the deck and table it. You can talk about test conditions, or how somebody must be suspicious.

Now lean in as you explain what Alex is going to do: “You’re going to cut some cards, from the middle. Pick up some cards with your left hand” Mime doing this as you explain, reaching out with your hand towards the deck and pretending to lift up some cards. As you do this, read the top card. Remember; if you have the corner marked Three of Clubs with a breather crimp, often this card will be right on top, which you can see as the spectator puts the deck down on the table, so you don’t even have to lean in. While looking away, direct Alex, through a combination of words and hand gestures, to cut off a group of cards with the left hand, then use the right hand to cut off another group of cards, which comes from the middle. The group in the left hand goes back on top. Cutting from the middle, you explain, is the fairest possible way to cut cards. Now have Alex look at the bottom card of the packet, remember it, drop the packet on top of the rest of the deck, and cut the cards.

The selection is now above the card you read, which you can’t just spot in a spread, like you could the Three of Clubs. So you’re going to have to go through a little different process to find it.

First, though, ask Alex to think of the card, while you try to read it. But again, it’s not coming through.

So you ask Alex to imagine the face of the card, and hold that image. And you pick up the deck, and turn the top card over, holding it in your right hand, right above the deck, so only you can see it. Stare at it for a second, then shake your head and throw it on the table. “This isn’t your card,” you proclaim, and then, just in case, look at Alex and say “right?”

When Alex agrees, you turn over the next card and repeat the process. Turn, look, toss on table. Each time you toss a card, say “no.” Don’t take too long with each card.

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What you are really doing, each time you turn up a card, is reading the mark on the next card, on top of the deck. When you see the card you read during the selection process, you know that the card facing you is the selection.

Announce “This is it,” holding the card up back to the audience. Ask Alex to name the card, and then turn it around to reveal that you have succeeded one last time.

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The Rule of Three Prediction

This simple trick combines the marked deck with one of the most reliable forces in all of card magic. It’s a lot of fun to perform. You get to do a little acting, but it’s not critical to the trick. In other words, if your acting doesn’t fool them, the trick still will. So it’s a good trick to work on your acting skills without any pressure. Remember—a conjuror is an actor playing the part of a magician.

A few years ago, Allan Zola Kronzek asked me if I would contribute to a book that would teach magic to disadvantaged youth and adults. I thought this was a great and noble idea.

I contributed this presentation, which is fun to do and fools the hell out of people. Since Allan’s book, The Book of Powers, is for beginners, I described a non-marked-deck version, with the performer openly looking through the cards before making three predictions. But it is even better with a marked deck, as you never handle the cards. The basic effect is that Alex shuffles the deck, you write three predictions, and Alex cuts to three different cards. The predictions are revealed; the first two are just gags, but the third is a miracle.

This is an extremely durable structure for comedy magic: the first gag is funny because of the surprise, then the second makes people suspect that the whole thing is a put-on, which makes the third into a real stunning surprise.

Go

Have Alex shuffle the deck and place it face down on the table. While that is happening, take out three small pieces of paper—or one piece and tear it into three pieces. When the deck is placed on the table, do not look at it.

Instead, stare at Alex’s right hand and take a slow, deep breath. Take one of the pieces of paper and write, so that no one else can see, “Unexpected.” Fold this and put it down next to the deck.

Stare at Alex’s left hand, then take the second piece of paper and write “Funny.” Fold this and put it next to the first prediction, and while you’re doing that read the top card of the deck. Let’s say it’s the Three of Clubs. Write “Three of Clubs” on the third prediction, fold it, and put it on the table.

Now you’re going to talk Alex through the Cut Deeper force. This is not hard, but it’s worth remembering that many spectators are not familiar with playing cards—certainly

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off half the deck,” Alex many not quite understand, or may just hear “cut” and pick up and cut the deck. To avoid that, say “With your right hand, pick up less than half of the deck, turn it face up, and put it back on the rest of the deck.”

Alex turns over a block of cards, revealing a random card—let’s say it’s the seven of hearts. Look surprised and say “With your right hand you cut to… the seven of hearts? I did not expect that! Just remember—two out of three is still a miracle.” Take the seven of hearts and put it on the table, next to the first prediction.

Return your attention to Alex and say “Now with your left hand, pick up more than half the deck and turn it over.” Alex turns over another group of cards, revealing another random card—call it the queen of spades.

You react by laughing “Ha—that’s funny. Your left hand cut to the queen of spades.” Laugh again, then stop and say “To me, anyway.”Slide the queen of spades over next to the second prediction.

Now spread the deck across the table. The top half is face up, the bottom half face down. Slide the face up cards aside and point at the top card of the face down half, saying “Let’s take the card both your hands cut to.” Without showing it, slide that card over next to the third prediction.

Pause for a moment to build a little drama, then say “All three of my predictions are correct! Your right hand cut to the seven of hearts. My prediction was…” Reveal the first prediction and say “Unexpected! You remember, I said, I did not expect that.”

Pause for a second here. Just to give everyone a chance to laugh (maybe), or to groan (which means they’re hooked), but mostly so they realize that you are just playing. Continue “your left hand cut to the queen of spades. My second prediction was…” Turn over the second prediction—it says “Funny.” Immediately: “You remember the queen of spades—that was funny! (Laugh) To me, anyway.” This mini callback helps make sure that everyone realizes that the whole thing is a joke. You are about the pull the rug out from under that idea, of course, but before you do, make sure that everyone is standing on it.

Open the final prediction and look at it for a second—this pause helps set the hook “My final prediction says “Three of Clubs.” Pause again—not long, but just a beat, before you continue “Wouldn’t that be a miracle, if the card you cut to, with both hands…” Turn over the final card. It’s the three of Clubs!

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Notes

I hope I don’t have to explain, to a magician buying a manuscript of a method for marking your own deck, the Cut Deeper Force.

Let me repeat my suggestion that you pay close attention to the wording of the instructions you give Alex. You don’t have to say what I say, but whatever you say, pay close attention. And if Alex does it wrong and the prediction card is lost, don’t panic. Just apologize—always apologize, even if it’s Alex’s fault—and start the whole trick over. At most you have to change one prediction.

This trick is a good example of misdirection. The script talks about cutting with the right hand, then the left hand, then finally the card cut to with both hands. It makes no difference which hand the spectator cuts with. But at the time, the spectators are so busy with each individual cut that they can’t follow what’s really happening with the cut-deeper procedure. By the time you spread the deck at the end for “the card both hands cut to,” it’s too late. The spectators have no chance.

This is what misdirection really is. It’s not getting people to look the other way so they can’t see you do the secret move. It’s getting people to focus on something else, so they can watch everything and not see anything. That way you can relax during the trick— you can’t get caught!

You can have two different people cut the cards, and just change the script: The card you cut to, the card you cut to, the card you both cut to.

Variations

You can change the first two predictions. Any two gags will work. For example when the spectator turns over the first card you can say “the seven of hearts—no!” Then, after the second card, say “Queen of spades—Yes!” The predictions say “No” and “Yes.” Anything that calls back to what you said when Alex cut the cards. The trick is to make a big enough deal about it the first time so people will remember it later on, but not so big that it becomes obvious that you’re setting something up.

Buy the Book

Allan’s book is called The Book of Powers, and it is part of Hocus Pocus, an outreach program run by Bill Kalush and the Conjuring Arts Research Center. Find out more at

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Perfect Prediction

Effect

You jot a prediction on a piece of paper. Alex freely shuffles the deck and slides out one card. Your prediction reads, say, the five of hearts. Alex turns over the card and it’s the five of hearts.

It’s exactly that clean. No force, no switch, no nothing. Method

You only pretend to write on the paper.

Spread the shuffled deck across the table and ask Alex to slide a card half way out—not all the way, half way, and slowly. Demonstrate as you do this by sliding any random card half way out. Explain that Alex can switch to a different card; push the card back in and slide out another. But when the card leaves the spread and is no longer touching the other cards, the decision is final. Saying this you point at the end of the card where it last touches the spread.

Now Alex will slide out a card, and either switch or not; this is fertile ground for interaction with and about Alex. When the card finally leaves the spread, everyone will be looking at the end of the card where it last touches the spread.

This is when you read the mark. Let’s say it’s the three of Clubs. Direct Alex to leave the card on the table without looking at it yet.

Pick up the paper, pretend to read it, and say “my prediction was the Three of Clubs. What card did you pick?”

While Alex is turning over the card, you nailwrite 3C on the paper. It’s a miracle.

Toss the paper to the table as though it were unimportant. Let someone else pick it up if they want but please resist the temptation to suggest it.

The Details

The idea of combining a marked deck with a nail writer is old. Harry Riser’s aforementioned Feints and Temps of Harry Riser has a classic version, which features a terrific way of having the spectator choose and return their card while your back is turned, delaying the reading of the mark in an extremely well-constructed way. Definitely worth looking up.

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Riser’s trick uses a construction which is standard, but which I think has a serious drawback. In it, Alex picks a card and looks at it; you read the mark. Now, before Alex announces the selection, you pick up your prediction, nail write the card, and hand it out for a spectator to read.

I think this is the wrong time to do the nail writing. Once Alex knows the selection, all attention is on the prediction. But if Alex doesn’t know, when you miscall the prediction, all attention goes to the selection. So the nail writing is much better covered. If you’re new to nail writing, this is a great first nail-writing trick.

If you fold your prediction, when you unfold it, turn it upside down before pretending to read it. This is a great subtle convincer. Don’t say anything about it. You’ll ruin it. This is another great example of the power of combining two secrets. They perfectly cancel each other; neither a marked deck nor a secret writing device would, by itself, explain the uncanny prediction.

Variations

David Regal thinks you don’t need a nail writer for this trick. He thinks that instead of pretending to write a prediction, you write your initials on the paper. After you announce the prediction and it is proven correct, mumble something about initialing the prediction, and that’s when you write in the value. I think this is a tantalizing idea, but I don’t know when you would do it. Doing it after you announce the prediction seems to call unwanted attention to the fact that you’re writing on the prediction, right when Alex wants to see if it’s right. Initialing the paper after the card is revealed seems strange and unmotivated.

If you could solve it, and you didn’t need a nail writer, that would be a plus. I’ve considered just dropping my hand with the card into my lap—all attention is on the face down selection—and write the name of the card against your leg. I never tried it— the idea of putting the slip out of sight makes me uncomfortable—but perhaps you could make it work. I continue to search for an impromptu, no nailwriter version.

I know I have said this already in this book, but imagine the effect on the spectator. You write a prediction. They shuffle and select one card. The prediction is revealed, the card is revealed, they match. This trick by itself is worth learning to nail write.

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Seven Shuffles

A number of years ago, Persi Diaconis published a paper in which he proved that it takes seven shuffles to really randomize a deck of cards. The paper is highly technical and few magicians have read it or understand more than the most basic ideas. Fortunately, whether you understand this paper or not, or even if you’ve never heard of it—it makes for an interesting presentation for this supremely direct miracle.

Effect

You spread the cards, showing that the deck is in new deck order. Alex shuffles the deck seven times and puts it down; you watch the shuffling like a hawk but do not touch the deck. Alex names any number from 1 to 52. You do a few mental calculations and announce: the Three of Clubs. Picking up the deck, you count down to Alex’s number, and the card there is the Three of Clubs.

Setup

Deck in new deck order. Go

First, spread the deck face up to show that it is in original order. Now hand it to Alex, with instructions to give it seven riffle shuffles. You watch these shuffles very carefully, while you explain that a magician and mathematician named Persi Diaconis once proved that it takes seven shuffles to really randomize a deck of cards. But, even though the cards will be randomized, an expert grifter can still track three or four important cards—the aces, say—even across seven shuffles. It’s whispered that some people can track the entire deck, even after seven shuffles.

Alex finally squares up the cards and tables the deck. Reach out and very obsessively square up the deck by slowly drawing your fingers over the sides. What you are really doing, of course, is reading the top card. Let’s say it’s the Three of Clubs.

Ask Alex to name any number from 1 to 52; let’s say it’s 23. Furrow your brow, and mentally divide 93 by 7. When you have the answer, announce “Three of Clubs.”

Now you’re going to count down to the 23rd_{card, and show it as the Three of Clubs,}

which is currently on top. If you can do a great second deal, you’re all set. I can’t even do a bad second deal, so this is what I do:

The Move to be Named Later

Start with the deck in dealing position: Take the top card in your right hand, thumb above and fingers underneath, and say “one.” The card is lifted up and to the right as it is drawn away, but it is not tilted to show its face.

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Take the next card underneath the first, slightly to its left and say “two.” As your right hand comes back for the third card, it slides the top card of the two to the left, until it’s leftjogged by about twice the border. Don’t forget this—it makes the steal much easier later on.

Each card after that gets shoved in between the bottom card and the right fingers.

As you get closer and closer to the number, as a gesture of fairness, you gradually begin raising each card up higher and higher, until Alex can see the face of the last two or three cards. By the time you are ready to count the 22nd card (n-1), your right hand is coming up fully vertical in front of Alex.

Your left hand brings the deck up, and Alex clearly sees the 22nd card fairly coming off the top of the deck to the face of the cards in your right hand.

What Alex doesn’t see is that your left thumb takes the top card of the right hand packet and slides it back onto the deck.

Hold your right hand where it is. The left hand pushes the Three of Clubs off the deck right as you say “23” and put it under the cards in the right hand.

Notes

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other, then sliding the top card back onto the pile—in The Secrets of Brother John Hamman (Kaufman, 1989), where it’s called the Undercount. Hamman used it to count four cards off the deck and steal one back. At some point I worked out the card at any number version, and later came up with the shuffle tracking presentation you see here. Just as this ebook was being proofread, Bill Goodwin handed me the July 1944 issue of Genii magazine. In it is a trick by Sylvan Barnet called “At A Mentally Chosen Number.” It’s the exact same procedure I worked out a mere 65 years later. But it was my idea to put it in an ebook for $20.

That doesn’t answer what to call it, though. I’ll be using it again later in the book, so I have to call it something. I’m going to call it the Sylvan CAAN. By the way, in 1940 Genii published a letter to the editor from Barnet, who was 13 at the time. This means he was 17 when he published this move, and 19 when he had two tricks in J.G. Thompson’s classic My Best.

This move makes a sliding sound, as the right half slides out from under the top card. I can’t stop this, so every time I count a card off the top, I slide it off.

This is another example of the power of combining a marked deck with something else —in this case the Sylvan CAAN—which cancel each other. The resulting trick is wonderfully clean and direct.

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Markus Maximus

By Bob Farmer

Before releasing this ebook, I sent a copy to Bob Farmer, ostensibly to make sure what I wrote about his Farmarx system was correct, but secretly to get him to contribute a great trick. Also to make sure the word ostensibly means what I thought it did.

My plan worked to perfection. Bob originally created this trick using a gaffed deck—it was called AGAOG, but I don’t know what that means—then ten years later created the marked deck version you are about to read.

Instead of me telling you how great this is, just read the effect. Effect

Three spectators assist: Alex1, Alex2, and Alex3. You hand a deck to Alex1 and turn your back. Alex1 shuffles the deck freely, then chooses any card and hides it in a pocket without looking at it.

Hand the deck to Alex2 and repeat this process, again with your back turned. Alex3 does the same.

Now, while your back is turned, the spectators memorize their cards.

Each spectator now shuffles their card freely back into the deck. While your back is turned! Now you take the deck and spread it face down across the table. Asking the spectators to concentrate, you wave your hand over the spread, picking up the psychic vibrations from the cards.

Now, you get two quick impressions about the chosen cards, i.e. two of you are thinking of red cards, right? Two of you are thinking of odd numbered cards, right?

Right and right.

Finally you turn to Alex1 and name the card he or she selected. Ditto with Alex2 and Alex3. You are correct every time!

As Bob says: No sleights. No memorization. Never fails. No outs. The spectators cannot screw

you up. The cards are genuinely shuffled and you have absolutely no idea what the cards are or where they are until you get your impressions. No confederates. No union soldiers.

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The Method, Basically

The spectators make their selections from a marked deck, but they return their cards to an unmarked deck (don’t worry—the switch is easy). When you spread the deck, you find the three marked cards and learn what they are. Then Bob has a great thing where you can tell who has which card.

The Details

Set up by putting a marked deck in any handy pocket on your right side and an unmarked deck—minus any three cards—in the same pocket on your left.

Take out the marked deck, and do a few tricks with it. This is a closer.

Hand the deck to Alex1, and turn your back while he or she shuffles, picks a card without looking, and hides it. Now you take the deck and hand it to Alex2 for the same process. Repeat with Alex3. Your back is turned while all the important actions are happening, but you occasionally turn back as needed to help out with the basic procedure. The spectators will simply remember that your back was turned.

After Alex3 is done, you take the deck and give instructions that all three spectators should wait until your back is turned before they look at their selections. As you are turning your back, casually put the deck in your right pocket. Wait a few seconds, then ask if everyone has memorized their card. When they say yes, take the deck from your left pocket and hold it, behind your back, so Alex1 can take it. Direct the three helpers through the replace-and-shuffle-freely procedure.

Like all good deck switches, this is based on boldness. But it’s covered by strong misdirection. When you put the deck in the pocket, all attention is on the selections. And there’s time misdirection between putting the deck away and taking it back out. Take the deck and make a very wide face-down spread across the table. Do this smartly and don’t stop to read the marks—just notice where the marked cards are. Now you go back and adjust the spread in a couple of places, as if you are making sure each card is equally exposed. This is when you read the marks.

Stare at Alex1 and wave your right hand over the length of the spread, pretending to feel a psychic vibration. Don’t forget this part—the pretending. Actually pretend to feel a psychic vibration. How does this feel to you? Is it weird, or are you used to it by now? Is it slightly uncomfortable? Answering these questions will make this moment more effective.

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At this point you know the names of the three selections, but you don’t know who chose which. You’re going to get this information using Bob Farmer’s Impromptu No Nos Fishing system. Basically you announce something that is true about two of the three cards, and when the spectators confirm that you are right, that tells you where the third card is. You make a different statement that uses the same principle to isolate one of the other cards, and when you know where two of the cards are, this tells you where the third card is. It’s easy, but you have to figure it out on the fly, so you’ll have to practice a few times to feel comfortable. Here’s a typical example:

Let’s say the three cards are the Two of Clubs, Three of Diamonds, and Four of Hearts. That’s two red and one black, so you say “I can tell that two of you are thinking of red cards. Who’s thinking of a red card?” Let’s say Alex1 and Alex3 raise their hands. This tells you that Alex2 has the two of clubs. Now you say that “two of you have even numbered cards, is that right? Who has an even numbered card? Alex1 and Alex2 raise their hands. Since Alex2 already has the Two of Clubs, Alex1 must have the Four of Hearts, and that means Alex3 has the Three of Diamonds.

Now that you know who has which card, look each of your spectators in the eye and dramatically read their minds.

Notes

Bob’s Impromptu No Nos Fishing is great, but the need to improvise makes it seem a little uncertain for some people. Really the process is both simple and foolproof. Just remember that the audience does not know that you are planning to make two statements. If you have to make a third statement, go ahead. Or if you can’t figure it out, just announce the names of the three cards, and say “if I named your card, sit down.” This is a fine and miraculous ending.

But you should never need to. Since you are never wrong, every correct claim you make will seem like a magical event. By the way, when you are thinking of these statements, you are apparently concentrating on using your mental powers to read psychic vibrations. So don’t worry if you have to pause to think, as that is completely in line with the presentation.

Update v1.1

This is a practical trick, since all you need is your marked deck and a matching unmarked deck. But if you can dedicate a specific deck to take the place of the unmarked deck, you can easily make this trick easier, cleaner, and stronger.

Take the matching unmarked deck and corner short every card, using a $10 corner rounder you can buy at any office supply or craft store. This way, after the spectators

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get them to the top by doing a casual overhand shuffle, holding back the selections by their extended corners. This is very similar to using a stripper deck. Read their identities, then put the deck in your pocket.

Now you have a double finish. First, the original climax: do your no-nos fishing, and name the cards. Follow this by reaching into your pocket and pulling out just the three selections!

While the audience is reacting, you reach into your pocket to remove the rest of the deck, but of course you pull out your marked deck. You are now reset: the three selections go back in the marked deck and the corner shorted deck is in your pocket. This corner-shorted deck is only used for this one trick, and will last a long time. It’s really very practical, and the effect! They shuffle, they choose cards themselves, they shuffle them back into the deck. You put the deck in your pocket, divine the selections, and pull them out blind. It’s a closer.

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Watchman

Update v1.1

This is the first trick I added to the book in the year or so since it first came out. It’s my new favorite trick—if someone asks me to show them a trick, this is the one. The method is so simple, but there is an irresistible throwoff built into the presentation that makes everything completely impenetrable to the audience. And after the amazing climax, an even more amazing second one.

Effect

You take the Jack of Diamonds out of the deck, calling it the Watchman. Alex shuffles, after which the Jack is put into the deck face up.

With your back turned, Alex cuts the deck, looks at the card freely cut to, and loses it back into the deck.

You remove Jack and hold him to your ear. Jack names the chosen card—and announces where it is in the deck!

Method

Take the Jack of Diamonds out of the deck and while Alex is shuffling, explain that Jack is the Watchman.

Take back the deck and say that you are going to insert Jack face up. Let the audience see that the Jack is going in face up, but when you do the actual insertion, hold the deck so no one can see where it goes. This is done openly—it should be clear that the audience isn’t supposed to see where the Jack goes. In fact, slide the Jack under the deck so it is face up on the bottom.

Hand the deck to Alex and turn away. You’re going to give some instructions which Alex needs to follow precisely, but you want to make it seem like it’s all very casual. As mentioned previously, you don’t have to use my exact wording, but whatever you do say should be figured out in advance. This is a bad time to wing it. Also make sure to act out with your own hands exactly what you want Alex to do.

“Cut off about half the deck and put it on the table. If you cut to the Jack, just put the cards back and try again. (pause) Done that? Okay—the cards in your hand, just peek up the corner of the top card and memorize it. (longer pause) Really memorize it. Done? (wait for a yes) Okay, now, take the cards in your hand, and give them a cut, so your card is buried in the middle. Now put your cards on top of the deck. Pick up the entire deck and give it a cut.”

Card Marking

The PM Card Mark System

Plus Assorted Miracles

by Pete McCabe

No drawing

skill required—

if you can write, you

can mark a deck.

80+ pages of

easy-to-follow

instructions

and great tricks

Mark your own Bicycle deck with a Sharpie.

Contents

The PM Card Mark System

References

Materials Required

Understanding the System

Drawing the Marks

the left end

of the arm line

the elbow of

the arm line

the left nipple

the right nipple

the right

collarbone

the left

collarbone

the place where

the right breast

line intersects

the arm line

the point of

Key Card

Card Case

Assorted Miracles

Stop Sign

Core Meltdown

Three Simple Miracles

Simple Miracle 1

Simple Miracle 2

Simple Miracle 3

The Rule of Three Prediction

Perfect Prediction

Seven Shuffles

Markus Maximus

Watchman