MIRACLES WITH THE BW INSTANT MEMORIZED DECK

Principle of the
Boris Wild
Instant
Memorized Deck
TECHNIQUE
As it is the case with other memorized decks on the market, the BW
Instant Memorized Deck allows you to:
- Know the exact position of a given card in the deck;
- Know which card is located at a particular position in the deck.
Why should you consider adopting this particular system, when
there are already so many other clever arrangements in print on the
market, who profess the same features?
Consider that this particular arrangement can be assimilated in not
6 months, or 6 days, or even 6 hours (!), but in 15 minutes. Many
may do so in 6 minutes! Members of the underground scene have
already dubbed this the "super-easy card memorization technique".
WHAT YOU NEED
A regular deck.
QUICKSETUP OF THE BW INSTANT MEMORIZED DECK
To quickly set up the BW Instant Memorized Deck, do as follows:
. Sort the cards by suit and then in numerical order with the cards
in four face up piles with Aces on top of each
. Arrange the piles from left to right in the CHaSeDorder: Clubs,
Hearts, Spades and Diamonds.

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 THE COMPLETE BORIS WILD MARKED DECK MIRACLES WITH THE BW INSTANT MEMORIZED DECK

. Now cut the Clubs pile to bring the 4 of Clubs on top. The order 21 - 9 of Clubs
becomes from top to bottom 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,J, Q, K, A, 2, 3, 22 - 8 of Hearts
. Cut the Hearts pile to have the 3 on top, 23 - 7 of Spades
. Cut the Spades pile to have the 2 on top, 24 - 6 of Diamonds
25 - 10 of Clubs
. The Diamonds pile remains with the Ace on top.
26 - 9 of Hearts
Then proceed to assemble the deck by picking with your right hand 27 - 8 of Spades
one face up card from the Clubs pile and place this card face up in 28 - 7 of Diamonds
your left hand. This process is continued from left to right with the
Hearts, Spades, Diamonds then again back to the Clubs until all 29 - Jack of Clubs
cards are in your left hand. 30 - 10 of Hearts
Your deck in now ready! 31 - 9 of Spades
32 - 8 of Diamonds
Here is the actual stack for the deck in a face down position:
33 - Queen of Clubs
1- 4 of Clubs 34 - Jack of Hearts
2- 3 of Hearts 35 - 10 of Spades
3- 2 of Spades 36 - 9 of Diamonds
4- Ace of Diamonds 37 - King of Clubs
5- 5 of Clubs 38 - Queen of Hearts
6- 4 of Hearts 39 - Jack of Spades
7- 3 of Spades 40 - 10 of Diamonds
8- 2 of Diamonds 41 - Ace of Clubs
9- 6 of Clubs 42 - King of Hearts
10 - 5 of Hearts 43 - Queen of Spades
11- 4 of Spades 44 - Jack of Diamonds
12 - 3 of Diamonds 45 - 2 of Clubs
13- 7 of Clubs 46 - Ace of Hearts
14 - 6 of Hearts 47 - King of Spades
15 - 5 of Spades 48 - Queen of Diamonds
16 - 4 of Diamonds 49 - 3 of Clubs
17 - 8 of Clubs 50 - 2 of Hearts
18 - 7 of Hearts 51 - Ace of Spades
19 - 6 of Spades 52 - King of Diamonds
20 - 5 of Diamonds

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In order to use the BWInstant Memorized Deck, you just need BASIC WORKOUT FOR THE BW INSTANT MEMORIZED DECK
to follow the three steps below:
First: Remember the Suit Values: THE RULES
. Diamonds = 0 First Rule: What card is at a given position in the deck?
. Spades = 5 If someone calls out a number from 1 to 52, what card is in
. Hearts = 10 that position?
. Clubs = 15 The mathematicalrule is the same for all numbers and the best way
to understand it is by practicing the examples that follow.
The mnemonic "hook" which I use to commit the progression to
memory is extremely simple; I remember "5".That's the extent of it! . A spectator calls out "21". Remember the number, and succes-
Building on this concept, note that: sively add 0, 5, 10, and 15 to it until a multiple of 4 is obtained.
. Spades has one sharp point, so: 1 x 5 = 21 + 0 = 21; 31 is not a multiple of 4. Go on;
5
21 + 5 = 26; 26 is not a multiple of 4. Go on;
. A Heart has two ventricles, so: 2 x 5 = 10
21 + 10 = 31; 31 is not a multiple of 4. Go on;
. A Club has three leaves, so: 3 x 5 = 15 21 + 15 = 36; 36 is a multiple of 4, STOP!
. You can draw the pip of a Diamond within a "0" (or you need 15 is the value for Clubs, therefore the 21st card is a Club.
to make a check with a lot of zeros if you want to buy a dia- To discern the value, divide by 4 the multiple obtained: 36
mond i). So: 0x 5= 0 divided by 4 is 9; therefore, the card at the 21st position is the
Second: Memorize the multiples of 4 until 64 9 of Clubs!
. A spectator calls out "38".Again,remember the number, and add
That means: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 40, 44, 48, 52, 56, successively0, 5, 10, and 15 to it until a multiple of 4 is attained.
60 and 64.
38 + 0 = 38; 38 not a multiple of 4. Go on;
1 x 4= 4 9 x 4 = 36
38 + 5 = 43; 43 not a multiple of 4. Go on;
2 x 4= 8 10 x 4 = 40
38 + 10 = 48; 48 is a multiple of 4, STOP!
3 x 4 = 12 llx4= 44
10 is the Heart value, therefore the 38th card is a Heart.
4 x 4 = 16 12 x 4 = 48 Dividing 48 by 4, we get twelve; twelve represents a Queen.
5 x 4 = 20 13 x 4 = 52 Thus, the 38th card is the Queen of Hearts.
6 x 4 = 24 14 x 4 = 56 . This time, consider "7". Remember the number, and add suc-
7 x 4 = 28 15 x 4 = 60 cessively 0, 5, 10, and 15 to it until a multiple of 4 is attained.
8 x 4 = 32 16 x 4 = 64 7 +0 = 7; 38 not a multiple of 4.
Third: You will need to memorize two mathematical rules. 7+5 = 12; 12 is a multiple of 4. STOP!
One rule will help you find a card at a position. The other rule will Therefore the card is a Spade. (5 corresponds to Spades)
permit you to name the card at a position. Dividing the multiple of 4 by 4 02 divided by 4) gives 3; the
value of the card is 3.
The card in the 7th position is the 3 of Spades.
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. Should the spectator call out a number which you immediately Second Rule: at which position is a given card in the deck?
recognize to be a multiple of 4, the card will be a Diamond. If a card is called out, where is it in the deck?
40 is called out: 40 divided by 4 is 10. 10 of Diamonds!
This rule is even easier!Just look at the followingexamples and you
52 is called out: 52 divided by 4 is 13. 13 stands for the King. will be convinced!
King of Diamonds!
. A spectator calls out the 9 of Clubs.
N.H.: Tbesame mathematical rule worksJar all the numbers, but an
adjustment must be madeJar 6 oj them. Tbesecases are numbers: 41 Committhe card to memory. Multiplyits value by 4:
- 45 - 46 - 49 - 50 and 51. 9 x 4 = 36
In these cases, you will apply the same method to find the multiple From the resultant number, 36, remove the value associated to
of 4 but the division by 4 will yield a number greater than 13. In the suit. Clubs being 15:
these cases, simply subtract 13 from that resulting number and you 36 - 15 = 21
will obtain the right value! The 9 of Clubs is the 21st card!
. 41 : 41+15 = 56 . A spectator calls out the Queen of Hearts.
56 / 4 = 14 ~ 14 - 13 = 1 Commit the card to memory. Multiply its value (12 for a
The 41st card is the Ace of Clubs. Queen) by 4:
. 45 : 45+15 = 60 12 x 4 = 48
60/4 = 15 ~ 15 - 13 = 2 From 48, subtract the suit value, 10 for Heart.
The 45th card is the 2 of Clubs. 48 - 10 = 38
. 46 : 46+10 = 56 The Queen of Hearts is in the 38th position.
56 / 4 = 14 ~ 14 - 13 = 1 . The 3 of Spades is called out.
The 46th card is the Ace of Hearts. Committhe card to memory, and multiply its value by 4 :
. 49 : 49+15 = 64 3 x 4 = 12
64 / 4 = 16 ~ 16 - 13 = 3 From 12, subtract the suit value.
The 49th card is the 3 of Clubs. 12 - 5 = 7
. 50 : 50+10 = 60 The 3 of Spades is in the 7th position.
60 / 4 = 15 ~ 15 - 13 = 2 . You'll love Diamonds. Allyou are required to do, is to multiply
The 50th card is the 2 of Hearts. the card's value by 4.
. 51 : 51+ 5 = 56 10 of Diamonds? 10 x 4 = 40
56 / 4 = 14 ~ 14 - 13 = 1 card is in 40th position.
The 51st card is the Ace of Spades. King of Diamonds? 13 x 4 = 52
card is in the 52nd position.

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N.B.: This mathematical rule will workfor all the cards but an
adjustment must be madefor 6 of them. Theyare the same cards cor-
responding to theparlicular cases exposedin Rule #1: Ace of Clubs,
2 of Clubs,Ace of Hearls, 3 of Clubs,2 of Hearls and Ace of Spades.
Actually, if somebodycalls out one of thesecards, you willget a neg-
ative number, so here is what to do:
The3 of Clubs,for example, willyield a negative3 value:
Easy
3 x 4
12 - 15 = -3
= 12 Applications
T
A card obviouslycannot be at a negativeposition in the deck... he real life applications of the Boris Wild Instant Memorized
unlessyou count from the bottom!Subtract 3from 52 (the bot- Deck, or simply the BWIMD,are innumerable. Any routine
tom position) and you will get 49: the 3 of Clubs' position. whose pre-requisite is the use of a memorized deck is pre-
That's it! sentable with this technique. It will sustain casual examination as for
the Si Stebbins stack.
So, whenfaced with a negative value, subtract the numberfrom 52.
Easy! FLASH MEMORIZATION
This simplest application is to simulate the memorization of a full
pack in a few seconds. Rapidly false shuffle your memorized deck
a few times, spread the cards in your hands with fierce intensityand
ask a spectator to call out a random number from 1 to 52. While
simulating intense recall of the pack's order, mentally perform the
"number to card" calculation as per the FirstRule and announce the
appropriate card. Hand over the pack, instruct the spectator to
count down to the position: the called out card will be there!
REVERSE FLASH MEMORIZATION
The reverse operation is just as effective!
Ask a spectator to call out a card of her choosing. After a few sec-
onds' concentration while applying the method from the Second
Rule, announce the card's exact location in the deck!
COVERT LOCATION
It is at times advantageous to be able to secretly locate a card, spe-
ciallywith a simple cut. Imagine that you are intend on forcing the
4 of Diamonds. You quickly calculate its position mentally and
know that the card is (Quick?Have you done it?) 16th from the top.
You may estimate the cut and cut to either under the 15th or over
the 16th, depending whether you wish for the card to be on top of
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the deck or at the bottom. If you are new to estimation as a card intercepted! The Clubs - Hearts - Spades- Diamonds may be put to
handling technique, do not be intimidated, it is really quite easy. A contribution as well in helping localize the card.
trick to make the estimation easier is to mentally divide the deck's If you are attempting to locate a precise card, the markings will give
side in four quarters. Thus,S references points are present: you immediate feedback as to whether you are successful or not.
- The 1st position (!) Similarly,if you are attempting to cut the deck at a precise level, the
markings will allow you to know if you are right on or off; and if
- The 13th position you are off, the cards tell you how much of a correctionis necessary.
- The 26th position (middle of the deck) An excellent training routine is to prepare a Marked Deck /
- The 39th position Memorized Deck and try to:
- The 52nd position (1) . Cut to a card which corresponds to a randomly chosen number
(the markings will tell you how close your estimate was);
With these, you may learn to cut to any position at will.
. Cutting to a specific position and "aiming" to a specific card.
. If, for example, a spectator calls out "28",estimate to 26 and add Again, the markings will give you immediate feedback.
two more cards.
Do indulge in these exercises. As you try them out, your estimation
. "20" calls for a cut between the points where you visualize 13 and calculation proficiencies will quickly improve. It is now up to
and 26. you!
. "36";spot 39 and cut 3 cards above it.
Since most routines call for a given card to be brought to the top,
you might prefer erring on the minus side, i.e. not cutting enough
cards. This makes it more likelythat the card will be on top, or near
the top. Overestimation,on the cut, would send the card to the bot-
tom of the deck.
To verify the effectiveness of the cut, there are 2 methods:
. You may quickly peek at the face of the 2 or 3 first cards and
adjust accordingly if the required card is not the top one. A sim-
ple double cut, or a pass, will fix things up nicely.
. If your deck conveniently happens the be a BW Marked Deck,
things are a lot simpler! A casual spread of the top cards will
reveal their identity, thanks to the markings. No need for furtive
peeks!
The French Connection
However, you will rapidly appreciate that the Marked Deck / Yannick Lacroix, Michel Huot, PatriceMeunier and PatriceDemers
Memorized Deck combination will allow you to systematicallycut
the appropriate card! Why? Because when cutting the handheld
deck, it is relatively easy to read the marks off the top card of the
bottom half, and riffle off cards is necessary... so the right card is
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PREPARATION

Coincidence . The ordinary deck must be stacked in the BW Instant

Memorized Deck order and inserted in its case.
. The BW Marked Deck must be stacked as per the Double
Personality write-up (a reverse Si Stebbins). This deck is cased

A blue deck of cards is displayed, put back in its case and as well.
handed to a spectator for safe keeping. A prediction is writ- . Two index cards or business cards are on the table, along with
ten on an opaque index card and put face down on the the Bic pen whose cap is pointing towards you. The stage is set...
table, its actual message hidden from view.
Whilst the performer faces away from the audience, a spectator PERFORMANCE
freely selects a card from a red deck and writes its identity on anoth- Extract the Memorized Deck from its case and show its cards as all
er index card. Once she is done, the magician faces the audience different. Put it back in its case, throw it to a spectator and ask him
and the spectator is requested to turn her card over; the spectator's to put it in a pocket. State that you will write a prediction on one
card is inscribed King of Clubs whilst the performer's card is seen of the index cards.
to be inscribed with a number... 37. Take the pen in hand. You absentmindedly start writing with the
The spectator holding the blue deck is requested to take it out and pen's cap still on the tip. Take off the cap, offhandedly punctuating
to count down to the 37th card: it turns out to be the King of Clubs! the action by saying something to the effect that "it works better
without it".
WHATYOU NEED
. An ordinary deck and its case (e. g. blue) Holding the card nestled in your hand in horizontal position, pre-
tend to write something onto the card. The simplest technique con-
. A BW Marked Deck whose sists in jamming the ball's point onto the first phalanx of your sec-
back pattern is different ond finger, and to rub that fin-
from the first (e. g. red) ger's nail onto the card. The idea
create a credible illusion of writ-
. Two opaque index cards or
ing. Do not write big; limit the
business cards movements' range. Do not actu-
. A black Bic ball-point pen, ally "write" anything which may
whose cap has been doc- decipherable from the pen's
tored: Photo 78. The tip is movements. Simply be seen
PHOTO 78 writing something quickly (use
cut off so that the pen will
write even though the cap appears to be in place. your nail to simulate the noise): PHOTO 79
photo 79. The writing sequence
A Stanley@knife will allow you to make the initial cut readily, is quick, less than three seconds.
and soft sandpaper will round up the profile and make your sur-
gical intervention less apparent. Fear not; a truncated cap is not Once done, do put the index card aside, "writing"side down so that
unusual. Most pen caps bear a hole at the cap's point nowadays, no one realizes that nothing is actually written. Put the cap back on
as a safety feature to protect toddlers against choking following the pen's tip, pushing it in fully so that the point pokes out of the
accidental aspiration. If noticed at all, your cap - and pen - will cap: photo 80. Introduce the stacked deck into play (the reverse Si
be perceived as a standard Bic pen. Stebbins) and spread it faces towards the audience, casually men-
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tioning its shuffled state and the With both card and pen in
fact that all the cards are differ- hands, I explain that it is not
ent. Perform a few false shuffles necessary to draw the indices if
and cuts, culminating by enlist- the card is a spot card; a figure
ing a spectator's help on the last card only "needs to vaguely
cut "to be on the safe side". resemble the original article".As
you say this, you (actually)write
Give the deck to a spectator to on the card. A casual demeanor
hold and turn away from her is key here. You professedly go
and the audience. Ask her to cut PHOTO 80 through all this to be helpful and PHOTO 81
the deck on the table, complete make your spectator at ease. The interplay with her will provide
the cut, and to look at the new top card. She is to memorize it and additional misdirection. Rehearse a real miming approach to get the
to place it away in her pocket. feel, and then incorporate the real writing while keeping the exteri-
Then, face the audience and explain to the spectator that she is to or appearances of miming.When you are done, hold the index card
reproduce her chosen card on the other index card - by drawing it. in the left hand, vertically,writing towards you.
As you say this, take the tabled deck and put it back in its case after Hand the pen to the spectator. As she reaches for it, you will pull it
taking a peek at the current top card of the deck reading off its back toward you and pull out the cap, again using the "itworks bet-
markings. Figure out the name of the selected card through appli- ter without it !" line. Change the grip on the index card for the
cation of the reverse Si Stebbins progression (+3 to the value, next maneuver, as per photo 82. Once more, you have subtly condi-
suit in the CHaSeDsequence). Calculatethe positionof this card in the tioned the spectators to notice that the pen could not have possibly
BWInstant MemorizedDeck, and committhis number to memory. been used to alter your prediction, as the pen was capped, this a
You will now secretly write that number on your index card under clear non-verbal message.
guise of explaining to the spectator what kind of drawing she is to
do. There are many subtleties involved which will cover you nice-
ly. Take your index card in hand, the "writing"facing you, but hold
the card verticallywithout looking at it. Take the capped pen in the
right hand and "mime"writing on the index card.
This is the reverse of the original situation; you were initially seen
writing on the index card (when you were not). Now, you will actu-
ally write on the card, but will be perceived to be "miming"- illus-
trating what you expect from the spectator. As the card is held ver- PHOTO 83
PHOTO 82
tically, you will have to write vertically as well... without paying
overt attention to the writing!So a little training may be necessary Hand out the uncapped pen to the spectator as you slip the cap into
before you actually attempt the routine. Holding the card vertically your pocket, awaiting completion of the drawing. You humorously
is quite logical, as you profess to explain how to re-create a playing comment on the fact that the time taken for the drawing is propor-
card: Photo 81. tionally suggestive of either an Ace or figure, as the case may be.
During this time, pivot the wrist so that the card is in the horizon-
A two step approach is what I recommend: first write one digit, tal position, the inscription strictlyvisible to you: photo 83.
pause, then the other.

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When the spectator has finished her drawing, retrieve the pen, the position. It is a solution pretty close to the initial effect; even
putting it aside. Tell the participant that you are going to both turn though taking the deck in hand does affect the routine's directness,
the cards over simultaneously, revealing both inscriptions to the you still salvage it without the spectator being aware of the diffi-
audience. Do so. Read aloud the spectator's index card, and ask her culties encountered.
to read off your card. Repeat aloud both the card and number, and
recapitulate the conditions of the effect:
. Your prediction was written long before the spectator selected a Psy-Show
card;
This routine makes use of an under utilized technique; the sublim-
. You have never looked at the face of the cards, and have never inal message. Initiallyemployed in the publicity arena as well as in
seen the spectator's selection, as your back was turned; behavioral studies, the subliminal message is an apparently imper-
. A deck was put away for safekeeping at the very beginning of ceptible element which is nevertheless picked up by the subject and
acted upon in a predictable fashion.
the effect.
In this particular routine, the cap is subtly brought into play in an
Ask the spectator holding the memorized deck to join you, to insidious fashion. The first time the spectator sees you attempting to
extract the cards out of the case and look at the position indicated write with the cap on, you casually mention that "it works better
by the number C37in the example): it is the card drawn by the spec- without it". This is not delivered as a "line", but as an off-handed
tator! casual remark. It must not feel scripted; its efficacy lies in its casu-
alness. It should barely register with the audience.

NOTES The line pops up again as you offer the pen to the participant.
What if, when the two index cards are turned over, you do not get Again, the line is underplayed, but it acts as an insidious convincer
a match? It is possible that you've encountered a playful spectator that the writing on your card could not be altered once the pen is
(or one with a mean streak, or simply slow) who has drawn a card capped.
which differs from the selection. Asking the spectator to withdraw The subliminalapproach allows to anchor certain perceptions in the
the card from the pocket will allow you to remain on top of things, audience's mind. Consider including it in your arsenal of psycho-
and complete the effect in honorable fashion, gently chiding the logical techniques.
spectator and extracting humor out of the situation.
The other possibility is that you might have goofed on the calcula-
tions. Bouncing out of it is hardly an insurmountable challenge,
especially since the spectators do not know how you plan to finish
the effect. Calculate the position at which the new card should be
as you ask for the memorized deck. Figure out the difference
between the position and the number written on the card. Spread
the deck face up, secretly counting the appropriate number of cards
(the difference between the new number and the prediction) and
take a break at that point. Double cutting the deck will bring the
card to the appropriate position, as written on your index card.
Hand the deck to the spectator and ask him to count the cards to

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trade with the spectator, as you ask her why she chose this partic-
Miracle! ular number, does the number have any special significance,ete. As
the calculations of the stacked deck are simple, this should cover
you sufficiently.
Once the card crystallized in your mind, ask the spectator to stop
shuffling and to hand you the deck. Start spreading the cards face
blue deck is shown and shuffled. It is placed in its case and down on the table, with an eye on the Level corresponding to the
tossed to a member of the audience. A red deck is shown target card's suit. In our example, of the 7 of Clubs, it would be at
.and given to a spectator for verification and shuffling. LevelL As you spread the cards, looking for the target, comment to
The performer then requests a third party to name any number from the effect that no one may know the order of the cards. Since you
1 to 52 (e.g. 13) as he takes the red deck back and asks the shuf- are playing for time, get the spectator to acquiesce.
fler to take a card out of the red deck (e.g. the 7 of Clubs). Now you will force the card matching the position in the blue deck.
The magician then asks the keeper of the blue deck to take the deck The two options are:
out of the box and to count down to the 13th card... It is the 7 of . First option: as soon as the card is spotted, close up the spread,
Clubs! keeping a break at the card (actually, above or below the card
- it depends on the technique you wish to use). Proceed to
WHAT YOU NEED force the card onto the spectator, and get the spectator to show
. A red BW Marked Deck. it to the audience. Use your favorite force.
. A regular blue deck. . Second option: this is the method I use. As soon as the card is
PREPARATION spotted, close up the spread, and cut the deck using estimation
to have about 7 to 10 card above the spotted card, the force
The blue deck must be in BW Instant Memorized Deck order. Both card. Now, spread the cards face down and look for the card to
decks should be tabled in their respective cases. be forced and Hofzinser Cull it under the spread (as explained
PERFORMANCE in Peek Sandwich) as you turn toward the spectator. Ask her to
A woman is by your side to assist you. Display the two decks in point to a card with a finger and, as soon this is done, separate
their cases. Take the blue deck out of its case and show the faces at that card the spread in the right hand, then square them
to the audience, establishingthat the cards are all different. Perform against the cards in the left hand. This will bring the pointed
a false shuffle sequence and put the cards back in the case. Point to card second to the culled card as now the Force Card will
someone in the audience and ask him if he plays basketball. appear to be the pointed card. You now rise your right hand
Regardlessof the answer, gently toss him the deck and asks that the packet and ask her to take the card (the last card of the pack-
deck be put in an appropriate safe place such as a pocket. et), and show it to the audience.

Extract the red deck from its case and show all the cards as differ- N.H.:Asyou never lookat the cards' faces, aforce seemsto be out of
ent. Give this deck to the spectator next to you and ask her to shuf- the question. Besideswhy wouldyou force a specificcard?
fle continuously until you tell her to stop. In the interim, ask anoth- Technicallyspeaking, the effect is almost over for you. .. yet it seems
er spectator in the audience to call out a number from 1 to 52. to begin now for the spectators!Ask the spectator to call out loud
As the lady continues shuffling, determine the card at the number the name of her card and to keep it in hand, facing toward the audi-
called out. Your calculations are covered by the light banter you ence. Insist on the fact that her selection was taken out from a freely

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shuffled deck. Then ask the spectator in the audience to repeat the
number he has freely selected at the beginning of the performance.
Ask the spectator with the blue deck to come forward, to extract the
X-Rays!
whole deck from the case and to count down to the number called
out by the other spectator. He stops on the last card and keeps it,
face down, in his dealing hand. Do not touch it!!!Show the rest of he performer shows a deck, shuffles it copiously, and cuts it
the pack, emphasizing the fact that all the cards are different. Ask at a point determined by a spectator. He tables the rest of the
the spectator to turn the card over and to show it to the audience: deck, stipulating that he will not touch it until the effect is
it is a match! over. The cut off half is put in the card case as the performer gazes
away; the tabled stock is put in the performer's pocket as he still
looks away. Once this done, the performer dons a strange looking
Psy-Show pair of glasses, which he claims allows him to see through matter...
or at least cards and card cases!He looks fixedly at the closed card
This is not a new theme, The "anycard at any number" problem has case and announces a number: 19. The cards are extracted and
been attacked from different angles. This particular approach has its counted out; there are indeed 19 cards in the case!
strengths: the cards' faces are not seen by the performer, the deck
is freely shuffled by one of the participants. The decks may be But that's not all!As the performer walks away, he asks the pal1ici-
examined after performance. pant to deal the cards on the table and to stop at her leisure. The
card stopped at is inserted in the card case. Once more, the per-
Manipulating the spectators' memories will allow to extract maxi- former dons the extravagant glasses and stares at the case. He
mum effect out of the routine; here are a few ideas on how to announces that it is a "black card... a Spades... the 4 of Spades!"
"nudge them in a favorable direction.
Of course, the glasses are examined at the end... to the spectator's
When asking the spectator to name any number (in a range of 1 to contentment!
52 but only call attention to that if she calls a number greater than
52), it is obvious that it could have been any number. WHATYOUNEED
. A BW Marked Deck
The card selection process should appear, ideally, just as free. And
the shuffling should not feel limited at all. The spectator stops only . The most outlandish pair of looking glasses one may find.
when she is convinced that it is enough shuffled.
PREPARATION
Should the spectator drop a few cards during the shuffle, you can . Put the BW Marked Deck in a BW Instant Memorized Deck
exploit this humorously, but this will again underscore the liberty order.
given to the spectators in the choosing and shuffling. This makes
the routine impossible to reconstruct. . The deck is in its case and glasses in a pocket.

Since you never touch the other deck after the selections are done, PERFORMANCE
the effect does become a major stunner. Extract the deck from its case, dropping the case in close proximi-
ty of the spectator you plan on using. (She must be on your right).
Rapidly show the deck, and present it as a normal shuffled deck.
Go through a false shuffle sequence as you patter to the effect that

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THE COMPLETE BORIS WILD MARKED DECK

you are about to show them something very unusual. You may you do this, transformthe card into a number and subtractone from it.
indulge in complete cuts as well - just make sure you have a good (For example, should the card be the 5 of Diamonds, you know that
idea how deep in the deck the 4 of Clubs is (top card of the stack). this corresponds to the 20th position, so 19 is your target number).
Spread the deck face out to show its shuffled conditions; take this So after a few moments' mugging (and calculating...), announce the
opportunity to locate the 4 of Clubs. Close the spread, keeping a lit- number: 19.
tle finger break above the 4. Explain that you've counted 19 cards in the case and ask the spec-
With the deck still held in dealing position, riffle down the left tator to extract all the cards in a bunch and to count them, dealing
upper corner of the deck with the thumb as you ask the spectator them onto the table in one pile (the cards are therefore reversed).
to say "Stop!".When she does, the right hand comes over the deck phase Two: The Sequel, one card hidden in the box
and cuts it at the break. The right hand fingers cover the front edge
of the deck, hiding the actual thickness of the block. The block of Into the second phase: walk away from the table, while still keep-
cards is immediately slid under the deck proper, and the assemblage ing the spectator within your visual field. Ask her to pick up the pile
squared up. This sequence nullify the cuts and puts the deck back of cards, and to start dealing onto the table, one card at a time. As
in stack sequence. she deals the first card, think "19". On the next, think "18"... and.
continue so until the spectator stops dealing. Once she stops, asks
Phase one: Part of the deck hidden in the box her if she wants the last dealt card or the next one in line for deal-
Table the deck in front of the spectator and mention that you will ing. Remember the number corresponding to her choice. Ask her to
not touch the cards until the end of the effect. Face away from the look at the card, remember it, and to slide it into the card case. She
deck and instruct the participant to: is then asked to close the case.
- pick up a slug of cards; Ask her to scoop up the tabled cards and walk back to her, without
really looking at her or the cards. Position yourself as you did ear-
- insert it in the card case; lier and get her to place the cards, again, in your jacket's side pock-
- close the case. et. Turn to face her and thank her for her assistance.
When she is done, turn around for a brief instant and look at the Pull out the glasses, put them on and stare at the card case. Take
top card of the rest of the tabled deck. As soon as you have identi- advantage of your staring routine to change the number into the
fied the card, turn away and point towards the deck, asking her card. 11, from our example, translates into the 4 of Spades.
"Could you, possibly, put the rest of the cards in my jacket pocket, After a few moments, ask the spectator whether she inserted the
so that they cannot help me?" card face up in the case. Most of the time, she will answer in the
Approach the spectator, still gazing away, and get her to slip the negative. In this situation, ask her to turn over the case for you - as
cards in your jacket's side pocket. You may then face the public, you do not want to touch it. As soon as she does, sigh and exclaim
and thank her. Take out the glasses out of your jacket pocket. something to the effect that "it is a lot easier like that!"
Explain that the glasses have quite an unique particularity; to see Successivelyannounce the color, suit and value of the card to recap
thru matter. Add that they were not conceived to see through ladies' by revealing that the card is the 4 of Spades! Invite the spectator to
clothes, but strictly for magical purposes. Propose on the spot... to take out the card and show it to everyone in the audience!
make a demonstration. Immediately offer the glasses to the spectator and ask her if she, as
Donning the glasses, stare fixedly at the case's edge, Move slightly well, can see through your devices. She will not.
to the left, then right, as if you were trying to get a better look. As

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Psy-Show
When you table the deck in the beginning of the routine, you Pure
announce that, "you will not touch the deck at all". The subliminal
statement is that the effect has yet to begin and that your prior
manipulation of the deck is not part of the routine. This will rein-
force the recall memory of the spectator, who will be convinced that
Telepathy
you, indeed, never touched the cards!
When you get physically close to the spectator, the action is moti-
vated by your requests to place the cards in your pocket. This con-
veniently puts you in visual range of the cards you need to identi-
fy. Choosing your pocket as a receptacle for the cards makes the
T he performer shows a deck of cards, puts it on the table and
walks away from the spectators, isolating himself in a corner
of the room. A spectator is requested to cut the cards and to
look at, and remember, the bottom card of the packet she is hold-
.
whole procedure appear fair and above board. Additionally, as all mg.
the cards but one are pocketed, the stack's existence is secreted Then, the performer asks the participant to shuffle the cards she is
from prying eyes. And you are in a great position to proceed with holding, and to hide the rest of the tabled cards in the card case. He
a deck switch... then walks up to her, takes the shuffled cards out of her hands, and
Since the unused cards are put out of play in your pocket, the effect spreads them faces towards her. Never, at any point, does the magi-
is crystal clear as there is nothing but the case on the table! It would cian look at the face of the cards.
look the same if the glasses were truly magical. The spectator is asked to concentrate on every single card present-
The glasses do misdirect the spectators away from the actual ed in the spread while keeping the identity of her chosen card in
method. By focusing on this object, rather than on the cards, suspi- the back of her mind. Without asking any questions, the performer
cions will truly be directed towards the glasses... The ironic use of drops consecutively cards from his hands until he is left with only
"speciallooking glasses", in conjunction with a marked deck, makes one: the spectator mental selection!
for potent entertainment for your spectators, doubled with deli- WHATYOU NEED
ciously guilty pleasures for you.
A BW Marked Deck
PREPARATION
Assemble the deck in BW Instant Memorized Deck order.
The deck is in its card case, on the table. You are set to go.
PERFORMANCE
Extract the cards from the case, show them to be all different and
perform a false shuffle sequence while keeping a constant stream of
patter. Put the cards on the table and walk away from the deck so
that you may not see what the spectator is doing.
Ask her to cut up a portion of the deck and to look at the card
which is under this upper half. Insist on the fact that she must not

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forget it and that she may show it to the others if she so wishes. Gradually drop, little by little, cards which do not correspond for the
Then request her to shuffle the cards she is holding and to keep one you are seeking. Pause for a beat before dropping while look-
them on the table close to her. ing at the spectator directly in her eyes.
Ask her to take the lower half of the deck, still on the table, and to Stop by keeping only a few cards in hand. Drop the last few cards
hide it in the card case. keeping one in each hand. Pretend dropping the right card, by low-
Get verbal confirmation that the rest of the cards has been put away ering that hand and pause, then let the other one drop.
and go back to the table. Take the card case and put it in your pock- Stay immobile for few seconds, then as the hand containing the
et without looking at it. Then gingerly retrieve the shuffled pack selected card raises to her eye level, look at the face of the specta-
while keeping it at arms' length (more or less extended) and do not tor and nod in an interrogative fashion so that she confirms that it
do anything suspicious, either in your gestures nor in your gaze. is really her card.
Insist. on the fact that you have never seen these cards, which
implies lithe face of the cards", and that you shall never look at
them. Gradually spread the cards in front of the spectator's eyes, NOTES
asking her to concentrate on what she sees and to feel something
This routine may be repeated two or three times without any fur-
when she sees her card. Insist on the fact that she must not say any-
ther preparation!
thing, nor do anything which might give you a clue as to the card's
identity. From your side, explain that you will not ask any question When you have completed a first performance, scoop up all the
and that she will not hear the sound of your voice from this point cards that you had dropped on the table, square them up and drop
onward. I like to use music from that moment to the end of the per- them onto the rest of the deck. Suppose that there was 18. You may
formance. without any problem reiterate the experience with another specta-
At this stage of the routine, all which is necessary for you to do is tor inasmuch as she cuts deeper than 18 cards. Effectively, the
stack's 29th card is still in 29th position, only the first 18 cards are
to count the number of cards that you have in hand as you display
them to the spectator. not in their initial positions!!!

As soon as the number is known, it is easy for you to translate it To make sure that the spectator cuts a larger group of cards, simply
into a card via the method explained for the BW Instant Memorized ask her to take a larger part of the pack litomake things more com-
plicated". This action will make things a lot easier for you!
Deck. This card was the one below the group of cards she has cut
to earlier. It is therefore the one she has seen and the one she is Finally, should you consider a bold, reckless soul, you may attempt
thinking of at this moment! For example, if you are holding 17 a third time with, this time, a very large portion of the deck.
cards, it means that she saw the 17th card and this particular card is
the 8 of Clubs. The routine's process remains of course identical for each supple-
mentary presentation.
Spread the deck anew in front of the spectators' eyes and spot the
card which you have in mind. This is easily to achieve as the mark-
ings are on the left edge of the spread cards and in the spectator's Psy-Show
visual axis. You are supposed to be concentrating on the spectator's
gaze, but in reality, you are searching for the card that you have in Although this effect can be repeated immediately, I never do this
mind. because it would be anticlimactic to the theatrical presentation of
mine. Most often, I like to close my show with this effect or as an
Encore (d the performance on the Companion Video for this book).
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This routine's impact is particularly strong because of the clarity of

the effect: a card is simply peeked into a deck while you are away
from everything. The cards are shuffled, hidden and, when you
come back, you divine the one which was seen without looking the
faces, nor asking any questions!
The revelation is very powerful since there are no apparent clues.
Because of this, the climax becomes a particularly intense moment
that one should nurture.
For this, I use a musical accompaniment which is cued on at the
moment before I start to spread the cards in front of the spectator.
The cut is a calm piano piece taken from the soundtrack of a roman-
tic movie. The music never fails to engage a seduction game
between you and the participant. Passionate gazes exchanged and
coy smiles will not fail to amplify the intimate climate which you
aim to create.
Furthermore, the fact that not a word is uttered accentuates the "dra-
matic" aspect of the situation. The audience is not witnessing a card
trick but a privileged moment in which magic and emotion meet in
true symbiosis.
Finally, it is important to keep in mind that your goal is to IIphysi-
cally" find the card that she is thinking of, but its identity is of little
consequence. Indeed, you are supposed to feel deep in yourself
something which tells you; IIThiscard which has just passed in front
of her eyes is hers".
However, you are not supposed to know what card it is (a Heart, a
Club, a figure.. .). This is of no importance as the experiment's goal
is to perceive a strong feeling on a card, whatever its nature may be.
That is why it is crucial - after the revelation - to briefly look at the
face of the card as if you were curious to know what it is!

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