Mnemonica problem
- Thread starter Isaak
- Start date
There's a number of things you can do but you have to think quick on your feet. Fishing some clues out of them is one option but a better option could be to change trick entirely and say that you're going to go through the deck and look over the cards and try and memorise the position of certain cards (it's so overt it's covert). Then go through the deck, adjust the cards so they're back in the stack, and set the cards down on the table. Then ask them to name the card and have them start dealing. For example, if their card is the 10 of clubs, don't only have them stop at the 10 of clubs, stop them at every 10 in the deck. The justification for this could be that you are giving yourself a few chances to hit their card by having them set aside 4 cards. You then reveal their card and end with the kicker that you found all the other 10s.
If they put it back one card off, you know it is one of the 2 out of order cards. You can just say, or ask, "Your card was red (or whatever appropriate question)." 50% of the time you are right and you know their card. The other 50% of the time you are wrong, but you still know their card and it will still be amazing when you reveal.
If they put the card back in its original position, I like the suggestion of Dominus above and just ask them what their card was and do some effect that Mnemonica facilitates based on knowing where it is in the stack. Perhaps after they put the deck behind their back and cut it. You then just need to glimpse the bottom card.
I like the idea of having them replace the card and then they give it one shuffle. This is where I worry that the card will simply be shuffled back between its original neighbors producing similar problems.
If they put the card back in its original position, I like the suggestion of Dominus above and just ask them what their card was and do some effect that Mnemonica facilitates based on knowing where it is in the stack. Perhaps after they put the deck behind their back and cut it. You then just need to glimpse the bottom card.
I like the idea of having them replace the card and then they give it one shuffle. This is where I worry that the card will simply be shuffled back between its original neighbors producing similar problems.
Do you know which direction it is off?
Let's say as an example, that you take the first 10 cards of a stack: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10, top to bottom.
Spectator selects 5 and puts it 1 card lower in the deck, now you have 1-2-3-4-6-5-7-8-9-10. 5 and 6 or are switched, since you know which way the selected card went, you know which card it is just by going through the deck; you may even cut the deck any number of times to justify "losing" the card.
This work even better if the card is more than one card of -- it's the only card that out of order -- for example: 1-2-3-4-6-7-8-5-9-10. Spreading through the deck you can deduce it in two ways:
- 5 does not belong between 8 and 9 which should be successive ==> 5 is the selected card
- 4-6 are not supposed to be next to each other ==> 5 is the selected card
This is an opportunity to make your magic even more powerful.
After the person selects the card, split the deck at the point of selection and glimpse the bottom card of the top packet. You know the selection.
Then, if you want them to reinsert it where they found it, extend your left hand with the bottom packet of the deck to them and ask them to "drop the card on top so it is somewhere in the middle of the deck". Take the top packet in your right hand and dribble the cards on top. The dribbling gives the impression that the card is truly lost in the deck rather than just plopping the top packet on it. Then give the cards a series of cuts and ask the spectator if they have any idea where there card is in the deck. Their response will be no. I usually will say something like "neither do I" or "I was hoping that at least one of us did." By doing this you are contolling the spectator's actions and the audience's perception of the effect.
Then, if you want them to reinsert it where they found it, extend your left hand with the bottom packet of the deck to them and ask them to "drop the card on top so it is somewhere in the middle of the deck". Take the top packet in your right hand and dribble the cards on top. The dribbling gives the impression that the card is truly lost in the deck rather than just plopping the top packet on it. Then give the cards a series of cuts and ask the spectator if they have any idea where there card is in the deck. Their response will be no. I usually will say something like "neither do I" or "I was hoping that at least one of us did." By doing this you are contolling the spectator's actions and the audience's perception of the effect.
RealityOne's method is the best, and the one that both Tamariz, Wind, and Blaine use.
With that said, if you're struggling with working with the deck, then I would recommend (if you have not done so) memorizing the deck more thoroughly (i.e. number of card to card, card to number, and in reverse order). Please don't misunderstand me, I'm not trying to be condescending or rude. I'm just all too aware of what performance anxiety can do to our problem solving abilities.
Anyways, most guys that perform with a stack can detect a card out of order in a matter of seconds. If you don't think you may have memorized the stack as throughly as you should, I'd highly recommend the "Memo Deck" phone/tablet app (Tamariz stack). It's fantastic and well worth the time and money. I'm not even kidding you, my four year old is using the app and already has the first 15 cards down inside and out.
With that said, if you're struggling with working with the deck, then I would recommend (if you have not done so) memorizing the deck more thoroughly (i.e. number of card to card, card to number, and in reverse order). Please don't misunderstand me, I'm not trying to be condescending or rude. I'm just all too aware of what performance anxiety can do to our problem solving abilities.
Anyways, most guys that perform with a stack can detect a card out of order in a matter of seconds. If you don't think you may have memorized the stack as throughly as you should, I'd highly recommend the "Memo Deck" phone/tablet app (Tamariz stack). It's fantastic and well worth the time and money. I'm not even kidding you, my four year old is using the app and already has the first 15 cards down inside and out.