As Many As You No ratings yet.

 

Effect: The magician can reveal the exact number of cards taken by a spectator.

Method

The magician asks a spectator to take a few cards from the top of the pack but to conceal them from the magician to the extent that the neither the performer nor the spectator can tell how many were taken.

The magician then also takes a bunch of cards secretly making sure he takes more than the spectator.

Next, the magician asks the spectator to turn his back and count his cards silently so as to give no clue to the performer.

The magician counts his own at the same time then in a novel albeit roundabout way reveals the exact number of cards held by the spectator.
 

How the Trick is Done

When the magician counts his cards – say for example he has 17 cards. He takes 3 from the total making a new total of 14 then says to the spectator: “I’ve got as many as you….3 more …..and enough to make your number up to 14”. He then asks the spectator to reveal how many cards he is holding and the prediction is proven true as the magician first deals out the number of cards to match the spectators total (in this case 10) – then three more – then enough to make the spectators total up to 14. (magician deals his remaining 4 cards).

This will work whatever number the spectator or magician is holding.

Another example: if the magician’s total 20 then the he would say: “I’ve got as many as you….3 more …..and enough to make your number up to 17”. He would then ask the spectator how many cards he is holding and on hearing “8” the magician would first deal out the number of cards to match the spectators total (in this case 8 – then three more – then enough to make the spectators total up to 17. (magician deals his remaining 9 cards).