PERFORMER has any card freely selected and returned to the pack. Pack is shuffled and handed to the spectator who is instructed to deal the cards one at a time on to performer's hand and any time he feels like it to stop and the selected card is found there. This effect is about 97 per cent perfect and when it works is a real miracle in card magic. Paul Noffke, a very clever card man, works this effect and in his hands it is 100 per cent perfect. Max Holden worked it for Tommy Downs and Eddie McLaughlin and had them completely stumped. As the title implies it is a psychological trick and depends on the manner in which the performer instructs the spectator to deal the cards on to his hand.
WORKING. Any card is selected and while the spectator is looking at his card, performer thumb counts nine cards from the bottom of the pack. These nine cards are removed and taken in the right hand in the action of cutting the pack and the selected card being replaced on the top of the pack the cards in the right hand are placed on top and a false shuffle is made keeping the top ten cards intact. The pack is handed to a spectator and he is instructed to deal the cards one at a time face down on to performer's hand. When the spectator has reached the third card performer says FASTER. At the fifth card performer says STOP ANYWHERE and times himself in the manner in which he says this. As a rule it will be found that the spectator will stop on the ninth or tenth card. All that remains is to work it up and show the tenth card as the selected card that the
spectator found himself. If the spectator stops at the ninth card, performer says, 'Now turn over the next card.' He does so and it is his card. If he stops when the tenth card is on the performer's hand, he just turns it over. In case the spectator goes beyond that card, performer notes the position of the tenth card on his hand and side steals it out bringing it to the top and then revealing it. The thumb count is very useful in many card effects. Pack is held in the left hand, thumb on one side and fingers on the other. Right hand is on top of the pack, fingers at one end, first finger bent on top and the thumb at the left corner nearest himself. This corner is riffled with the thumb and it is an easy matter to count nine cards as they are riffled. A break is now held here with the left little finger which holds the break until the cut is made.