Any Card At Any Number

Magicians obsess over this trick. Laypeople — not so much. But it remains a splendid trick, and if performed well, it kills. So, let’s imagine you have a group of friends, and you are all in someone’s living room — perhaps at a game night.

A card is selected randomly from a borrowed deck.

The magician does not see the card.

Then a random number is freely named - 17.

The magician asks for a second deck of cards.

The host retrieves another deck for the trick.

They count down the cards onto the table.

They pause before number 17.

“For the first time, what card did you choose?”

“The eight of clubs.”

They turn over the next card.

The 17th card is the eight of clubs.

Your friends love you forever and ever.

—

Look it turns out that there are only 52 outs for ACAAN. If you use the same stack (order) of playing cards, you can shift the bottom card to the top to create 52 decks of cards. So this means if the eight of clubs is in position 1 in deck A, then it will be in position 2 in deck B.

This means you can create an index of 52 decks of cards that provide every out you need for a freely named card at any number. I recommend using a crib sheet — a sort of chart that you, an accomplice or assistant, can use to quickly determine which deck they must retrieve.

The chart needs the 52 different playing cards listed on the left, and the 52 positions listed across the top. If the spectators name 17 and eight of clubs, you need to find the letter listed where 17 and 8C intersect in the chart. It might be deck F. And so, you grab deck F from the index.

Of course, with a good deck switch, you could build this index under a table or to the side of stage. Retrieving the hero deck yourself or with assistance and secretly switching the decks in view. I can’t really be bothered with any of that.

I suggest using an accomplice because it’s much easier. By performing this at a host’s (who is in on the trick) house. You’re creating justification for someone else to retrieve the deck, and you also create a reason for them to step out of sight.

Most normal humans do not have a deck of cards readily available, let alone two. When you request a second deck of cards, it makes sense for them to go into a cupboard or another room quickly.

The combination of the index and crib sheet creates speed. The level of speed enhances the method, along with how well your accomplice acts like they are not in on the trick. But it’s the speed that sells this trick. It’s almost worth having the crib sheet more accessible so that they know which deck to grab long before they go to retrieve it. If it’s as simple as them reading into a cupboard and instantly coming back with a deck of cards, you’re onto a winner.

The additional level of deception comes when the magician never sees the first card, and it is not announced out loud until the very last moment. Of course, you did ask the spectator to show the group of friends the card. It was at this point that your accomplice knew the card’s identity, and everyone hears the position number when it is named out loud.