SOME WHILE AGO I PUBLISHED in this blog an idea of Jack Avis whereby a stranger card with a large indice but matching back was introduced into a normal deck. The matching normal card was forced and shuffled back in the pack, the cards were fanned and shown to a second spectator with the request “Please think of any card in this pack that comes to mind”.

The spectator noting the large indice will catch onto your suggestion.  The magician takes the pack, locates the large indice card, palms it out or laps it and hands the pack to the first spectator who is asked to remove his selected card and place it on the table. The second spectator is then asked to reveal the card of which he is just thinking. He does so and the selected card is turned over to reveal it is correct.

This item came from one of the many notebooks I have of Jack Avis in which he recorded his thoughts over the years. I mentioned this effect to a member of the Magic Circle who said that he had been doing this exact effect for many years!

It was a genuine coincidence and it does happen  in magic.

When I was putting together a linking ring routine many years ago, in playing with the rings I came up with the idea of two linked rings, one is spun at high speed and it will climb around the second ring and fly off through the gap which is in your hand. You then catch it in mid air. Terrific!

I showed it to Jack who said it was very good but that I would find the identical move in one of the volumes of Tarbell! I think it is inevitable that all magicians when practicing and playing with cards, coins and other items, will unwittingly travel down a certain route to arrive at a new move or presentation idea.

I think this inevitability should always be acknowledged rather than fight to claim originality.

Filed under: Magic Ideas, Magic Thoughts