Magic Hoax Explained

It's well-known that I have a fascination with both magic and mathematics. Consequently, many individuals have inquired about the mechanics behind the trick demonstrated in this video. Card Magic

The initial video sparked a plethora of questions, prompting him to create a follow-up, although it doesn't really provide any additional insights beyond what was already shared: Experience more astonishing, self-executing magic tricks that anyone can easily perform!

In both films, Jason (the magician) assures the audience that it's merely a mathematical trick that succeeds every single time. If you’re going to watch just one, I recommend the first one. But if you're unable or uninterested, here’s a rundown of the video's contents:

1. 1. Begin with a shuffled deck of 52 cards (at 0:22 he notes that 'the order is irrelevant').
2. 2. Choose a rank from ace to 10.
3. 3. Start dealing cards one by one until you reveal the first card of the rank identified in step 2. Take note of how many cards are dealt.
4. 4. Continue to deal cards until you reach the second card of the rank from step 2. Record that total as well.
5. 5. Keep dealing until you find the third card of the rank listed in step 2. Make a note of that count too.
6. 6. Take the sum of the cards from steps 3 to 5.
7. 7. Now, deal the number of cards you wrote down in step 6 from the remaining deck. The final card you deal will correspond to the fourth card of the rank from step 2.

It seems almost impossible for this to work without sheer luck, but numerous commenters support the magician's claims. Here are a selection of their responses.

‘It succeeded for me three times consecutively.’ -- illinialumni

“Works every time!” -- waynelagasse9914

‘Reminder, kids: if it didn’t work, you must be executing it incorrectly. Try again; this method genuinely functions!” – Herbert

I experimented with this on my own several times, and it simply failed to work with a shuffled deck. After rewatching both videos multiple times, I couldn't pinpoint any errors in my approach.

So, what's really happening? Is it all just an illusion?

Here is how to actually do it.

Set Up

1. 1. Select any rank; it isn't limited to numbers between A and 10. We'll refer to this as the Chosen Rank.
2. 2. Determine a position for where you want the third card of that rank to land. Avoid choosing a number above 26 or too small to ensure the deck doesn’t appear overly staged. For example, let's say you choose 19, as Jason did in the first video. I suggest aiming for a number between 15 and 25, which we can call x.
3. 3. Set aside the four cards that belong to the Chosen Rank.
4. 4. Lay one of those Chosen Rank cards face down.
5. 5. Stack x-1 cards from the other 48 cards face down over the card from step 3.
6. 6. Place a second card of the Chosen Rank face down on top of this stack.
7. 7. Combine the last two Chosen Rank cards with x-3 additional cards.
8. 8. Lay the cards from step 7 face down on top of your pile.
9. 9. Then, stack the pile from step 8 atop the remainder of the deck.

Proceed with the trick as demonstrated in the video, making the selection of rank feel casual. Jason pretended to deal what seemed like a random number of cards, but it was actually intentional. The rest of it will unfold just as he presented it.

Example

Let's select queens as our Chosen Rank, and let's set x to 16. Here's how to carry it out:

1. 1. Place a queen face down.
2. 2. Place 15 cards from the remaining deck on top of the first queen.
3. 3. Place a second queen on top of the pile.
4. 4. Shuffle the last two queens with 13 other cards and stack them on top of the pile.
5. 5. Place the pile on the remaining cards.

If you’ve accomplished this correctly, you should find that it works as intended. At this juncture, you might have some questions. Here are the queries I initially had, along with my thoughts on them.

Q: Didn't Jason prove by shuffling that he used a random deck?

A: He executed a controlled shuffle. He's an exceptionally skilled card magician capable of maintaining control over every card's position during a shuffle. Most individuals aren’t able to perform this skill, so you'll need to either fake the shuffle or avoid it entirely.

Q: If this can’t be performed with a randomly shuffled deck, why do so many commenters claim success?

A: That’s part of the deception. The term ‘gaslighting’ refers to making people doubt their own perceptions through tricks or falsehoods. This is precisely what is occurring. They likely fell for the trick themselves, realized the truth later, and are now spreading misinformation.

Q: As an amateur magician, why are you revealing this?

A: Generally, I prefer not to expose the secrets behind magic tricks. However, I make exceptions for specific simple tricks, particularly to kindle interest among new magicians. In my recent Live Stream videos, I’ve demonstrated how straightforward tricks operate.

I also uphold a magician’s ethical code which includes:

1. 1. Avoid using audience members who are in on the trick. These are individuals who collaborate with the magician, pretending to be randomly selected audience participants.
2. 2. Refrain from misleading the audience. I might embellish a trick by claiming, ‘I will read your mind,’ when I actually won’t. However, if a magician states something factual such as, ‘the order of the deck is inconsequential,’ when it actually matters, that's where I take issue.

The entire video is nothing but a deceitful facade and violates the second guideline. Just as I would have no qualms about debunking a psychic or faith healer, I'm undertaking the same with this video.

Written by: Michael Shackleford