10 Card Trick
Assume you’re going to get three spectators to assist you. Ask one of them to shuffle the deck and take any ten cards for himself. Have the other spectators do the same. Take the remaining cards and set them aside.
"When I turn away, I’d like each of you to think of a number from one to ten.. Then fan through your cards and see which card lies at that number from the top. Please remember your card and the number. "
"When you turn back, you will, in effect, transfer five cards from the top to the bottom of each spectators pile. What you actually do is transfer fifteen cards from the top to the bottom in a phony shuffle.
Take the first spectator’s packet, saying, "I’d better mix these a bit," Transfer cards from the top to the bottom of the packet, moving one, two, or three cards each time. As you do so, silently keep track. When you have transferred fifteen, quit. Return to the spectator. Quickly perform the same "shuffle" for the other two spectators and return their packets.
Since the number you move each time is arbitrary, it appears that you’re actually mixing the cards. In no time, you will be so used to the procedure that you can actually chat while doing it. "Do you all remember your number? Good. I’ll turn away once more. Then I’d like each of you to transfer that number of cards from the top to the bottom of your pile. For instance, if your number was four, you would move four cards from the top to the bottom one card at a time!"
This time when you turn back, say, "I’d like each of you to take your top card and place it on the bottom. Then deal the next one onto the table. Then the next one goes on the bottom; the next on the table. Continue until you have just one card left. But please don’t peek at the last card. Just hang onto it."
Finally, each spectator is holding one card face down. Ask the first spectator to name his selected card and then turn over the card that he is holding, Have the other 2 spectators do the same. Naturally, Each is holding there selected card.
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