Magic Trick

Mike: Hello there! I'm Mike Shackleford, and I run the website internetradiomercedes.com. I have a passion for gambling, and I also dabble in magic as a hobby. Joining me today is the talented Angela Wyman, a seasoned assistant to magicians, among her other roles. I plan to perform a magic trick for her and, if needed, I’ll share the secret behind it. This particular trick is one of my favorites; it's quite simple yet it tends to amaze those who witness it. Let’s see if it impresses Angela!

To start off, I will arrange three sets of seven cards in front of us, making sure to lay them out evenly.

Alright, Angela, please select a card and memorize it. Just let me know which set it belongs to.

Angela: The third column.

Mike: Okay. This being the third, right?

Angela: Yes.

Mike: Now I’m going to repeat the process, laying out the cards similarly once again. Can you tell me which set your card is in?

Angela: The second.

Mike: This will be the last time I do this. Now, can you tell me which set your card is in?

Angela: The second.

Mike: Okay. Pick two piles.

Angela: These two.

Mike: Okay. Pick one pile.

Angela: This pile.

Mike: Pick two cards.

Angela: These two.

Mike: Pick one card.

Angela: This one.

Mike: Have a look.

Angela: That’s it! It’s the Queen of Spades. [laughs] I’m quite impressed.

Mike: Would you like to find out how I managed to do that?

Angela: Absolutely, I’m curious to learn your method.

Mike: I'm going to explain it to you.

Angela: All right.

Mike: As I mentioned earlier, I carefully arrange three vertical stacks of seven cards, making sure they look tidy. After choosing a card, memorizing it is crucial, and I often remind people to do so because they might inadvertently reveal their choice, which would compromise the trick. It’s important that they don’t forget their card, as forgetting can ruin the performance. There’s nothing worse than asking someone for their card after they’ve seen every step, only to hear them say, 'I can’t remember which one I picked.'

[laughter]

Mike: So, which set did you select your card from?

Angela: The first column.

Mike: Alright, this is the first set I’m considering.

Angela: Yes.

Mike: As I pick up the cards, I want it to seem natural; however, I need to ensure that Angela's card ends up positioned centrally among the three stacks. I’ll place the first stack down, then I will carefully position this particular set on the bottom. Now, out of these twenty-one cards, I'm aware that Angela's selection lies between the eighth and the fourteenth positions. I will repeat this process. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Once again, her card will be among the next seven cards. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Did I guess correctly? Is it among these seven?

Angela: Yes, it is.

Mike: Great! Now I set aside the remaining seven. Let me check with Angela again. We’ve narrowed it down to just seven cards. So, which column is that card in now?

Angela: It's in the second column.

Mike: At this juncture, although I shouldn't express it openly, I now know her card will be one of these three options. When I gather the cards, I make sure to position her card in the center. One, two, three. If I place it incorrectly, the illusion will fall apart. Finally, I confirm once more. I know Angela’s card must be one of these three; is it among them?

Angela: Yes. It is.

Mike: Okay. Now which column is it in?

Angela: It is in the third column.

Mike: Now, I have deduced at this stage that it's the Jack of Spades, though I don’t need to consciously think about it, and you will understand why shortly. I’ll take these cards, stack them quickly, ensuring that it appears smooth and not mechanical—slow movements can come off as clumsy and ruin the effect. By carefully maintaining my arrangement, I establish that Angela's card is in the eleventh spot among twenty-one. I then lay out them one by one: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven. Keep track of the eleventh card. After performing this multiple times, I'm confident in my choice. I’ll ask Angela to pick two stacks. If she chooses these two, I will take the other two away. Regardless of what Angela decides, the key is to always keep her card exposed on the table without further explanation. Avoid speaking too much here—simply say to choose two piles. The aim is to maintain the suspense while moving through this quickly.

Angela: All right. These two.

Mike: Okay. Pick one pile.

Angela: That pile.

Mike: So go ahead, choose two cards. Now pick just one. Could that possibly be your card?

Angela: Yes.

Mike: Yay.

Angela: Two for two. [laughs]

Mike: All right. Thanks Angela.

Angela: Thanks! I’m excited to practice this.

I now need to prove how good of a student I am. While Mike is an exceptional instructor, I’ve enlisted Dan as my first participant to see how well I absorbed the magic lesson. Dan, I appreciate your help!

Dan: All right.

Angela: Today, we’re going to perform a card trick that Mike shared with me, so let’s hope it goes smoothly.

Dan: Okay.

Angela: I’ll start by laying out a set of cards for you. We’re aiming to create three columns with seven cards each, so please hang tight while I arrange them.

Dan: I’ll be viewing them as if they were Pai Gow Hands.

Angela: Sounds good! [laughs] Now, focus on one card. Don’t vocalize it to me; just keep it in your mind.

Dan: All right.

Angela: Have you selected your card?

Dan: Yes.

Angela: Now, let me know which column contains your card?

Dan: The second.

Angela: The second column? Great! Let’s rearrange these. Please keep that card in your thoughts. Which column are we in now?

Dan: The first.

Angela: The first column. All right.

Dan: I can see she’s triangulating her guesses; this is interesting.

Angela: We’ll do this one more time. This reminds me of that They Might Be Giants song about Triangle Man. So, which column is it now?

Dan: The second.

Angela: Right, the second column again. Perfect. Now, let me spread these cards out for you. Give me a moment to finish this arrangement. Alright, Dan, please select two stacks.

Pick one stack. Choose two cards. Now, select a card. Dan, is this the card you picked?

Dan: Yes, it is.

Angela: [laughs]

Mike: [clapping] That's uncanny.

Angela: Mike was a good teacher.

[ Dan: He was. Woo.]

Angela: You want to know how I did it?

Dan: Yeah.

Angela: I'm not going to tell you.

[laughter]

Dan: No.

Written by: Michael Shackleford