"Behind the back" card trick

[Jackabe_magic]

Hi everyone!
I fell in love with this idea: spectator takes the deck behind his back (or under the table), he randomly cuts or shuffles the deck, reverses one random card in the center; then when that card is revealed it matches your prediction, or is the only blue card in a red deck, or it is a card he told you before the trick started, you get the point. I'm sure there is some already existing method to accomplish this, the only thing I found is "placebo" by mark calabrese, but I'm looking for more. Can anyone help me? Thanks!

 

[RealityOne]

The cleanist method is Election by Eric Ross. The plot he uses is two spectators with two decks, but it works the same with a similar deck. The method is amazingly simple but if you want to do this effect, it is worth the price.

Other Ideas:
Khardova Deck by Jim Steinmeyer - Genii, May 2010 (used for a Open Prediction routine but can be used behind the back)
Doubleback R/R or B/B Deck or Double Face Deck (use your imagination)
One Way Force Deck (again, use your imagination - you could even use a bank of force cards in the middle and show the top or bottom of the deck)

 

[ParkinT]

There is a simple effect I have done for many years but cannot remember where I first read it; It may have been Scarne.
The plot is that you hand the deck to the spectator, instructing them to put it behind their back.
Next you guide them to first take the top card off the deck and place it on the bottom, "just to be sure neither you nor I know what it is"
Then they are directed to take the card that is now on top, reverse it, and place it ANYWHERE in the middle of the deck.
Returning the deck to you, you can immediately spread the cards and show one reversed card; either it *is* the predicted card or it is sandwiched by two predicted cards.
No gaff, no sleight of hand, minimal prep and a bit of audience control.

Perhaps someone else is familiar with this. Or PM me to discuss some details {without revealing too much in the public forum}

 

[Josh Burch]

The cleanist method is Election by Eric Ross. The plot he uses is two spectators with two decks, but it works the same with a similar deck. The method is amazingly simple but if you want to do this effect, it is worth the price.

Other Ideas:
Khardova Deck by Jim Steinmeyer - Genii, May 2010 (used for a Open Prediction routine but can be used behind the back)
Doubleback R/R or B/B Deck or Double Face Deck (use your imagination)
One Way Force Deck (again, use your imagination - you could even use a bank of force cards in the middle and show the top or bottom of the deck)

All of these are great ideas. You can learn Election in Eric's At the Table Lecture.
Really the ancestor of Eric's trick is an effect by Dan Paulus. I don't think it is available anymore. Dan only used one deck.

An impromptu version of this trick that I love in found in the Encyclopedia of Card Tricks by Jean Hugard. It's called the magic Thrust by Anneman. It's on page 31 of my copy.

 

[Josh Burch]

There is a simple effect I have done for many years but cannot remember where I first read it; It may have been Scarne.
The plot is that you hand the deck to the spectator, instructing them to put it behind their back.
Next you guide them to first take the top card off the deck and place it on the bottom, "just to be sure neither you nor I know what it is"
Then they are directed to take the card that is now on top, reverse it, and place it ANYWHERE in the middle of the deck.
Returning the deck to you, you can immediately spread the cards and show one reversed card; either it *is* the predicted card or it is sandwiched by two predicted cards.
No gaff, no sleight of hand, minimal prep and a bit of audience control.

Perhaps someone else is familiar with this. Or PM me to discuss some details {without revealing too much in the public forum}

I think the trick you describe is found in the Encyclopedia of Card Tricks by Jean Hugard. It's called the magic Thrust by Anneman.

 

[Rev]

Hi everyone!
I fell in love with this idea: spectator takes the deck behind his back (or under the table), he randomly cuts or shuffles the deck, reverses one random card in the center; then when that card is revealed it matches your prediction, or is the only blue card in a red deck, or it is a card he told you before the trick started, you get the point. I'm sure there is some already existing method to accomplish this, the only thing I found is "placebo" by mark calabrese, but I'm looking for more. Can anyone help me? Thanks!

I guess what this boils down to is being able to 'force' a card behind someone's back. If you read/study enough you should be able to come up with or adapt something something.

Here are a few ideas:

Harry Lorayne has a trick called 'Super Location' (performance here) which could easily be adapted to be done behind the back. The whole thing is basically one big bluff but as you can see from the video it gets a great reaction.

A consideration: A small packet version might be slightly easier to do. If anything, it makes it easier for a spectator, who is likely to find holding/handling a deck of cards behind their back difficult (some struggle with holding one in front of them!):

John Guastaferro has a trick called 'Numerology' in his book 'Seven Wonders' which involves a spectator mixing a four-of-a-kind under the table based on a secret number, yet your able to predict which card ends face-up after all of this. He performed a version of it on his 'At The Table' Lecture which involves a kicker where everything turns blank, including the written prediction. Really killer stuff.

I'm also wondering whether Jim Steinmeier's 'Nine Card Problem' could be adapted to be done behind the back. @RealityOne, I'm looking at you!

Reading your original post got my brain cogs whirring and I actually came up with a version myself which is similar(ish) to the Lorayne routine, but uses some Bannon/Carey handlings: Spectator cuts and shuffles the deck. They then take it behind their back (without you touching it) and 'burn' the top and bottom cards by burying them in the deck. They then take the new top card (which no one could possibly know ) turn it face-up and then stick it in the deck. They then bring the deck forward and spread it out. Only one card is face up in the centre, it is removed, flipped over and amazingly has a different coloured back. The rest of the deck could then be revealed to be all blank.

Like I said, if you've studied card magic long enough that shouldn't be too difficult to reverse engineer. What really sells the whole thing is that they shuffle the cards and you never touch them before they put them behind their back. It's not perfect, but hopefully their memory will be that the whole thing took place behind their back.

Just a few thoughts I had (Dillinger Escape Plan is apparently great music for get the creative juices flowing!)

Rev

 

[RealityOne]

I'm also wondering whether Jim Steinmeier's 'Nine Card Problem' could be adapted to be done behind the back. @RealityOne, I'm looking at you!

It could be... but I'm not sure why you would do that. My sense is that if you do something behind the spectator's back, there should be a reason related to the design of the effect.

Reading your original post got my brain cogs whirring and I actually came up with a version myself which is similar(ish) to the Lorayne routine, but uses some Bannon/Carey handlings: Spectator cuts and shuffles the deck. They then take it behind their back (without you touching it) and 'burn' the top and bottom cards by burying them in the deck. They then take the new top card (which no one could possibly know ) turn it face-up and then stick it in the deck. They then bring the deck forward and spread it out. Only one card is face up in the centre, it is removed, flipped over and amazingly has a different coloured back. The rest of the deck could then be revealed to be all blank.

Cites to Bannon and Carey? When you say spectator cut then shuffle, I'm thinking Encyclopedia of Card Trick, page 309.

 

[Jackabe_magic]

Thank you everyone for the great ideas! You made me think about so many new possibilities I haven't considered before.

A consideration: A small packet version might be slightly easier to do. If anything, it makes it easier for a spectator, who is likely to find holding/handling a deck of cards behind their back difficult (some struggle with holding one in front of them!):

This is so true! The idea of this trick is to be engaging and envolving for the spectator, it must be avoided everything that makes it difficult for them to partecipate

Next you guide them to first take the top card off the deck and place it on the bottom, "just to be sure neither you nor I know what it is"
Then they are directed to take the card that is now on top, reverse it, and place it ANYWHERE in the middle of the deck.

This is a good starting point! I think that laymen could notice something strange, but the idea is good. I've been performed the same exact thing by Dani Daortiz a couple of years ago in such a clever way. He used this method to pretend to be forcing a card to me, knowing that I would have noticed something awkward in the move. Then he very casually asked me if I wanted to change my card and I of course did! At that point he made me feel embarassed because of my decision and created the best situation to force another card as he had planned minutes before, when he was setting the revelation. At first, I couldn't believe he had planned for real the whole situation like that.