Asi Wind’s handling is, IMO, the best I’ve seen. Box on table. Cards tipped out. Spectator deals cards. Job done. As an aside, sometimes I don’t do the ACAAN here, but simply a X cut force instead for the named card. A quicker presentation and still has spectator doing the work and hence still very strong.

I agree, Sean. I've seen David Berglas perform "The Berglas Effect", which isn't the same as ACAAN. It was a masterful performance in audience management.

Asi Wind's handling of the plot isn't easy, but it is about as clean as you can get. I was lucky enough to see him perform and teach this at The Session Convention many years ago.

Marty

For me it depends how the trick is being presented, either as a card trick or a mentalism effect. and I've seen good versions done both ways.

If it's a card trick, then yes, the cards need to be shuffled as this is what creates the impossibility of it, and subsequent skills of the magician to realise the card at the number.

However, if it's presented as a mentalism effect, then the shuffling of cards doesn't make any sense. In fact, it takes away from the mentalism aspect of a magician somehow psychologically forcing a card and/or number on the participants. If the cards are shuffled then the magician should not know the order, therefor there is no capacity to present it as mentalism.

Asi Wind's methods is the cleanest one I have ever seen. So direct, so fair, no funny moves. Spectator thinks the card and the number. Cards are dumped out of the card box and spectaotr deals. That simple.

Of all the ACAAN routines I've played with and studied, and trust me I've studied just about all of them..Charlie Frye has some of the most genius thinking on this plot in his new book. If your a fan of Asi Wind's version where the spectator names the card AND the number, this is for you. Especially if your bothered by the math involved in Asi's. Charlie has a very creative way to make this happen where there is hardly no math involved and you aren't thumbing through the cards in the case to glimpse your "key" before the move happens. Just understand Charlie still uses a memorized deck.

I'll be studying this one closely and will most likely end up using it most of the time. The rest of the book is fantastic as well.

https://youtu.be/FDptEQOQuKM?si=hKOQD9-T-v3haUkF