A very special way to locate a card—guaranteed to fool you.
The spectator freely cuts the deck and remembers the bottom card. The magician then claims that the trick has something to do with the number 12, and counts twelve indifferent cards from the top to the bottom twice. The magician then deals through the cards, attempting to locate the spectator's selection, but ultimately deals to a Queen. Counting twelve cards down from the top reveals the spectator's selection. Not only that, but the spectator's random cut position and the two packets of twelve cards also come into play. Turn over the top cards, and they are revealed to be the other three Queens.
Performance transcript:
First, shuffle the deck.
- Next, this trick is called The Magic 12.
- You'll see what that means in a moment.
- Place the deck on the table.
- Have the spectator cut off about half the deck.
- Set the remaining cards aside; we won't need them.
- Have the spectator remember the bottom card.
- Remember the card you cut to.
- Since this trick is called The Magic 12,
- I'll count twelve cards from the top to the bottom.
- The selection is now 13th from the bottom.
- So we'll continue by counting another twelve cards to the bottom.
- Now we have no idea where the selection is.
- The spectator made a free cut, so I don't know the exact number of cards.
- Next, I'll take one card and place it on the bottom,
- and one card on the table.
- Repeat these steps until only one card remains—the selection.
- The spectator made a free cut, and the deck was shuffled at the beginning.
- So the final card is completely random.
- The cards in my hand keep getting fewer.
- Until only one card remains.
- And it is the card the spectator started with, what?
- The Queen of Spades.
- Remember I said at the beginning that this trick is called The Magic 12?
- That 12 may represent the number of cards I need to find the spectator's selection.
- Count 12 cards down, and you'll find the spectator's selection, the 5 of Clubs.
- This is where the spectator originally cut to.
- This is where we are after counting 12 cards.
- I'll find the other three 12s.
1st edition 2026, video 5:49.
