Count Down (Mark Leveridge)

Description

Ever since Mark Leveridge purchased Eddie Joseph’s classic PREMONITION trick when he first started magic, he was fascinated by the “Premonition” theme. There have been a number of different solutions to the basic problem of “You name a card – here it is in my hand”, and the version Mark Leveridge offers here will hopefully be enjoyed by those who like simple yet baffling magic.

Effect: The magician explains that yesterday he had a premonition that somebody, today, would choose a particular playing card from a shuffled deck. So strong was the premonition that he wants to try it out to see if it proves correct.

The performer removes one red backed card from his pocket, the face of which he does not show at this stage. This card matches his premonition. The pocket is shown to be otherwise empty, the card then being replaced so that it cannot be touched again for the time being.

A blue backed pack is removed from its box and freely shown and shuffled. It is left in view on the table. A second pack of cards is then taken out of its box and the faces shown. This is a number deck, the card faces having all the numbers from one to fifty-two on them.

These number cards are also seen to be in a random order. The magician deals these number cards face up one at a time until a spectator calls stop. The performer points out that even a slight alteration in the “stop” position would produce all different numbers. We will assume the number fifteen is chosen. The premonition card is removed from the performer’s pocket and placed face down on the table. Now the spectator picks up the ordinary blue pack and deals fourteen cards face up onto the table. The fifteenth card, the one lying at the position matching the chosen number, is placed next to the premonition card. The two cards are flipped face up to reveal that they match!