Video clips (download) in Magic & Mentalism: page 48

A shuffle principle designed to fool magicians.

The magician begins by removing a prediction card. The spectator freely selects a card and returns it to the deck. The magician performs a riffle shuffle, which mysteriously stops halfway through. The shuffle stops exactly at the spectator's selection. The three resulting packets are then turned over, and their values match the prediction card from the beginning.

Two different handling methods are included.

Riffle Location and Prediction: An almost self-working card trick that relies on a simple gimmick to achieve the final effect.

...

A completely impromptu ACAAN routine in which a single card points in two directions.

The spectator freely selects two cards and they are returned to the deck and shuffled. The magician then has the spectator freely name another card, which is openly placed into the center of the deck. After being controlled to the middle, the value of the indicator card points left and right to reveal the spectator's two original selections.

Performance transcript:

• Give the deck a shuffle.
• Have the spectator freely name two cards.
• The 3 of Spades and the Jack of Diamonds.
• Insert the two cards...

An almost self-working card location effect with an ACAAN feel.

Fool your magician friends. A powerful routine that can be performed with a single deck.

The spectator selects a card, returns it to the center of the deck, and cuts the cards. The magician then has the spectator cut off another packet. Using that packet, cards are dealt one to the table and one to the bottom of the packet repeatedly until only a single card remains. That final card reveals the exact location of the selection. As a bonus, the spectator also discovers the other three cards matching the selection's value. ...

Two sandwich routines based on the same principle, each with a different handling and ending.

Completely self-working. No sleight of hand required. Performed with a regular deck. Fools magicians.

Miracle Count 15 & 47:
No complicated stack. The spectator freely cuts to a card and remembers it. The magician turns the 15th and 47th cards face up, then deals alternately into two tabled piles. The two face-up cards always remain in the same pile. In the end, they sandwich a single card—the spectator's selection. The other piles are then revealed to contain the four Kings.

15 & 47 Sandwich:...

In the cleanest of manners, three coins quickly and magically jump from one of the performer's hands to the other.

No gimmicks required, this just uses regular coins combined with some sleight of hand. Not a routine for the beginner, this magical-looking effect needs to be performed on a close-up pad.

video 8:37

This is a completely impromptu ACAAN. The spectator names any number and freely remembers a random card. In the end, the remembered card appears exactly at the named position.

However, I prefer to think of it as a card control system - a method for controlling a merely remembered card to any desired position with no setup whatsoever. Without question, this concept can take your card magic to the next level.

Performance transcript:

• This is an impromptu ACAAN routine.
• The deck can be thoroughly shuffled at the start. No setup required.
• Have the spectator freely name a number. ...

A small coin (10p/US quarter) is tipped from a purse and marked with a sticker bearing a spectator's initials. It is then taken into the performer's closed fist, the other hand being shown otherwise empty.

The purse is then laid flat across the top of an examinable glass tumbler so that the top of the container is completely covered.

The hand is then brought down with a slap onto the top of the purse, opening as it does so and instantly a coin is seen and heard to penetrate the purse and fall into the tumbler.

With both hands clearly empty, the purse is lifted away to reveal that...

Using the classic Gemini Twins principle, these are two expanded routines with much stronger climaxes. The spectator may call stop at any time, and face-up cards are placed at those stopping points, leading to effects far beyond the original plot.

Performed with a regular deck. Easy handling, powerful impact.

Triple-Path Gemini Twins:

A spectator freely selects a card. The performer then deals three piles, and the spectator calls stop three times at any moment during the deal. A face-up card is placed on top of each pile at the stopping points. The cards are squared, and the deck...

Two sets of five ESP cards are displayed, one with red backs, the other blue. A spectator takes the blue set and mixes the cards under the table while the magician does the same with the red set.

The two piles are placed on the table, and when the top two cards of the randomly mixed piles are turned over, they prove to be the same symbol e.g., the Star!

That's a surprise, but what's even more amazing is that when all the other ESP cards are turned face up, each and every one has also magically turned into a matching Star symbol!

1st edition 2026, video 9:49

A simple and direct effect with an unexpected ending.

A card-and-number routine that I particularly enjoy performing. This project collects two of my most frequently used routines. Three cards are used to locate a spectator's selection, and in the finale, those same three cards lead to every matching mate of the selection.

Predicted Number ACAAN: A card is selected, returned to the deck, shuffled, cut, and the deck is divided into three packets. The top cards of the three packets not only predict the exact number of cards cut by the spectator, but also locate the selection. Just when...

21st century playing card prediction.

The performer caught without props, grabs a piece of paper and writes down a prediction, which is entrusted to and kept safe by a member for safekeeping.

He explains that he was prepared for this, a few weeks ago, he shuffled a deck of cards, dealt them one by one on a table, and recorded it.

He proceeds to play the recorded video, demonstrating how it can be paused and resumed. He holds his cellphone with the screen facing down. A participant pauses the video at any point, flips the phone over to reveal a playing card on the screen.

This can...

A length of rope is displayed and can be examined if required. Taking the cord in his two hands, the magician ties a knot in the rope's centre, and instantly, as the knot is formed, a silk appears threaded through the knot!

No gimmicks required, this is a streamlined method for a classic Pavel effect.

1st edition 2026, video 8:22.

A spectator freely selects a card and loses it into the middle of the deck. The magician claims he only needs three chances to cut to the selection, but all three cards cut to are misses. In the end, the combined values of those three cards reveal the exact position of the spectator’s selection.

Performance transcript:

• Shuffle the deck.
• Then place the deck on the table and have the spectator cut off about one-third.
• Remember the bottom card of the cut packet.
• Then cut another packet and bury the card into the deck.
• Just to be clear, there's no force and no crimp involved.
• The...

A finger ring is borrowed from a spectator and placed under a handkerchief, where it is held by a second onlooker.

The performer removes a reading glasses case from his pocket and extracts his glasses from inside, the case itself being examined. The glasses are then dropped back inside, and the spectator holds the case up in view.

Reaching across to the handkerchief, the magician suddenly pulls it from the helper's hands, and instantly the borrowed ring disappears.

The assistant holding the glasses case now reaches inside and slides the spectacles out to reveal the ring hanging on...

A variation on the classic Invisible Palm plot. A powerful visual effect performed with just a few playing cards.

Performance transcript:

• This trick uses six cards: two Aces and four Kings.
• But the King of Spades is the important one.
• Because Spades are the leader of the suits.
• This King of Spades will guide the other Kings to its location.
• First, I table the King of Spades.
• The other Kings stay aside.
• Here are two Aces.
• First, I take a King and place it between the two Aces.
• Now imagine that at this moment the King becomes invisible.
• You can't see it in my palm.
• So I can...

The performer offers to demonstrate an effect that is part mentalism and part magic. For the mentalism part, he slides a blue-backed prediction card from a pay envelope, displaying that the envelope is otherwise empty before returning the card and leaving the envelope in view.

A red-backed deck is shown to be well mixed, and a spectator genuinely freely (no force) touches the back of any face-down card. This selection is left reversed in the centre of the deck.

The blue-backed prediction card is now removed from the envelope and its face displayed - let's say it is the QC. When the red...

A spectator freely selects a card, freely cuts the deck to determine a number, and divides the deck into four packets. After multiple rounds of reassembling and cutting, the selection still arrives at the exact corresponding number. A self-working, fooling card routine.

Performance transcript:

• This is a completely impromptu effect.
• You can even borrow a deck from a spectator.
• No setup or stack is required to begin.
• Have the spectator cut roughly half the deck.
• Ask them to secretly count how many cards they cut.
• 22 cards.
• Since I don't have a spectator here, I have to count...

Jules DeBarros was, according to Jon Racherbaumer, perhaps the finest coin worker of his, or any, era. His timing and execution were flawless and angle-proof. Here is a fine example of his approach.

1st edition 2026, video 1:14.

The spectator shuffles the deck at the start. The magician removes a prediction card, then the spectator freely selects a card and loses it back into the deck.

Next, the magician has the spectator freely cut the deck, placing Jokers at the cut points. At first, the Jokers isolate a large section containing the selection, and eventually they sandwich the exact selection itself.

The deck is split at the selection, and behind all the apparent randomness, everything leads to the final outcome. There are three packets on the table, and the bottom card of each packet perfectly matches the...

Coin into matchbox.

A coin is borrowed and a spectator's initials are written on a sticker which is stuck to the money. Holding the coin at fingertips, the magician passes his hand over the coin and instantly it transforms into a matchbox! That is already totally unexpected, but a second surprise comes when the box is pushed open to reveal the signed coin sitting inside.

video 5:51.

A very fooling card location and ACAAN effect.

Two spectators each cut a packet and remember the bottom card, then replace them into the deck. The performer has a spectator cut a large packet, then deals left and right on the table, eliminating the left pile each time, until only one card remains on the right. That card is spectator two's selection. Not only that, the top cards of the four dealt piles are turned over - their values add up to reveal the final position of spectator one's card.

• No force
• No gimmick
• No crimp

Performance transcript

• Next is a very fooling ACAAN...

You start out with four cards with a blue back on both sides. They transform into four cards with red back designs on both sides, plus they have a big hole through the middle.

1st edition 2026, video 1:49.

From the early 1970's, this unique effect may be the most visual card transformation, without any suspicious handling, fingers spread wide apart, no cover-ups. Walter Cummings was a convention favorite from the old school. Angle proof and quite startling.Requires moderate skill.

1st edition 2026, video 36 seconds.

A fooling routine: the spectator cuts off a packet and notes the bottom card, then shuffles freely, replaces it anywhere in the deck, and shuffles again. The performer still locates the selection. Furthermore, the spectator decides how the shuffle is done; the deck is then mixed into three packets, and the bottom cards of all three packets match the value of the selection.

Performance transcript:

• First, have the spectator cut the deck.
• Have them cut off a small packet and remember the bottom card.
• There is no force involved.
• Then give the deck a shuffle.
• Have the spectator cut a...