A DOUBLE-BACKED card is required. Have this on the top of the pack. False shuffle and cut, leaving it in that position. Allow a spectator to make a free choice of one card and note it. Cut the pack about the middle, at the same time slipping the double-backed card on top of the lower portion, and put the cut face up on the table. The act of turning the cut face up will completely cover the slip sleight. Have the chosen card put face down on top of the face-up cards, then place the other portion of the pack on top also face up. The double-back card is thus just above the chosen card. Take the pack and run over the cards backs uppermost until you come to the reversed chosen card, suppose it is the 6D. Divide the pack at that point and put the cards above it below the rest. The 6D is now on top of the pack and the next card is the double-backed one. Lift the two cards as one and turn them face down. Take off the top card, apparently the 6D, and put it in the middle. Order the 6D, to reverse itself and spread the cards, keeping the top card hidden and show a card reversed in the middle; this is the double-backed card but you call it the 6D. Without allowing time for anyone to ask you to show its face turn the pack face down and run the cards one by one into your right hand, reversing their order. You do this to show that the cards are all backs up, really you spell the chosen card, 6D in this case, and on reaching the last letter throw the packet back on the top of the pack. Seeing that the double lift left the chosen card on the top you have thus put it in position to be spelt out. Order the card to go to that position and proceed to spell it out, turning the card on the last letter. A false shuffle before the spelling greatly strengthens the effect.
USING any pack that has been freely shuffled, secretly note and remember the top and bottom cards. Looking through the pack to remove the Joker gives a good opportunity for doing this. Then riffle shuffle letting the last card of the left-hand portion fall first, and the last card of the right-ha...
IN TAKING back a pack which has been shuffled by a spectator, note and remember the bottom card. Turn your back and holding the pack behind you invite a spectator to make a free cut, then take off the card on the lower section, look at it and remember it. As he looks at it turn facing him and exp...
REQUIRED two packs, one red-backed, the other blue, also a double-backed card, one side red the other side blue, to match the packs. The double-backed card is set, blue side up on the blue-backed pack. Allow a spectator to take any card from the blue pack, examine it and place it face up on that ...