A matching effect where the spectator does all the work and finishes with Three of a Kind. Inspired by, but not using, Marty Kane’s Status Quo-2 Principle.


Remove any three threesomes, say, 3 Aces, Kings & Tens. Arrange them rotationally as follows: A-K-10-A-K-10-A-K-10. Place this packet on top of the deck. 

Devise your own presentation for this if you feel you need one.

1. False shuffle then deal off nine cards - discard the rest of the deck.


2. A spectator gives the packet a few cuts then carries out any number of Deal Mixes, as follows: 

A spectator deals the packet into two face down piles, then picks up either pile and drops it on top of the other. He repeats this as many times as he wishes. He can also cut between mixes, but that might slow things down too much.

Finally he deals the top card face down onto the table as his selection. He is left holding eight cards.


3. He now deals the top four cards into a face down row on the table. He turns the remaining four cards face up then deals these onto the first four to form four pairs - he must deal in the same direction both times.


4. Now turn the selection face up. Look for a matching value among the four face up cards (clue....it will the 3rd pair along), and slide the selection under this pair to form a three card sandwich - the middle card is face down. You might want to ask for a number betwen 1 and 4 thus forcing the 3rd position.


Turn the lower cards of the other three pairs face up showing that none match. Finally flip over the face down card to reveal Three of a Kind.