Man, this idea makes me laugh.
You know how everyone (including me) is totally obsessed with the ‘Any Card at Any Number’ effect?
Well, I recently came up with a method to perform the opposite…
‘Any Number at Any Card!’
It’s a really fun little piece that’s also incredibly fooling.
Let’s get into the content…
Here’s what the effect looks like:
You hand a deck to your spectator and show them that it’s a regular deck—with one key exception.
Each card has a number on the back—from 1 to 52.
You let the spectator shuffle the deck as much as he likes, then place it on the table, out of your reach. Next, he names a number out loud.
In a second deck, the spectator picks a card.
You pick up the cards from the table and spread them face up until you reach his card. You ask him to repeat his number. Finally, you turn over the chosen card to show that the number on its back is the exact number the spectator chose!
Here’s the method:
This method uses a memorized deck—but perhaps not in the way you think.
To begin with, we’ll need two regular decks. One of them is set up in our stack of choice—let’s say we’re using Mnemonica.
The second deck doesn’t need to be set up in stack. This is the one we’ll write the numbers on the back of.
Here’s the simple secret that makes this whole thing work:
We just write the stack number of each card on the back!
For example, let’s imagine we’re sitting together at the table, creating this deck.
We have a shuffled deck in front of us, and we’re going to add the numbers to the back of each card as we go through them.
We turn over the first card and see the KC. In our stack, this is card #18, so we write the number 18 on the back.
Next, we turn over the JS. In our stack, this is card #45, so we write the number 45 on the back.
Next, we turn over the 8C. In our stack, this is card #33, so we write the number 33 on the back.
We do this for each card in the deck, and by the time we’re finished—we’re perfectly set up for this effect.
Here’s the step by step walkthrough:
- You hand a deck to your spectator and show them that it’s a regular deck—with one key exception.
Each card has a number on the back—from 1 to 52.
It’s probably a good idea not to show them too many face cards, as we don’t want them remembering which number paired with which card.
- You let the spectator shuffle the deck as much as he likes, then place it on the table, out of your reach.
The real beauty of this trick is, although it uses a stack, it uses it in such a subtle and non-typical way that we really can let the spectator shuffle as much as they like!
- Next, he names a number out loud.
They really can name any number. Once they do, you just convert that number into its card.
For example, if they say 18, we think about the #18th card in our stack—which is the KC.
If they said 24, we’d think about the #24th card in our stack—which is the 10C.
Let’s imagine they chose ‘43’. We’d think about the #43rd card in our stack—which is the AC.
- In a second deck, the spectator picks a card.
This is the other sneaky part.
In our second deck (which is stacked), we’re going to force the AC.
You can do this any way you like, but I would suggest estimation cutting the AC to the top of the deck, cutting it to the center with a break, and performing the dribble force (or riffle force.)
If you’re really feeling it, a classic force would really make this whole routine sing.
- You pick up the cards from the table and spread them face up until you reach his card. You ask him to repeat his number. Finally, you turn over the chosen card to show that the number on its back is the exact number the spectator chose!
The work is all done by this point. From here on out, it’s pure showmanship.
In the shuffled deck, we spread face up until we see the AC. We already know this card will have the number 43 on the back, since that’s its stack number, but we can really dramatize it for the spectator at this point, before revealing the incredible coincidence we’ve engineered for them!
Do you see how simple this is?
Heck, it’s one of the easiest memorized deck tricks out there—but I’ve never seen anyone do something like this.
Before I go, let me suggest one adaptation you could make to this routine if performing for other magicians…
That adaptation is simply to not mention the number on the backs. Start with the deck face up, and get them to shuffle face up (wash style on the table, perhaps).
This way, when they name a number and pick a card, they think they know what’s coming for sure—until you hit them with the reveal.
Bonus points if you do so using a stack that most magicians aren’t familiar with (Redford, for example.)
Alright.
This was a lot of fun.
Next week, I’ll show you how to perform this effect, but with a pretty major twist—the spectator can FREELY choose their card!
Your friend,
Benji