So I have been working on my spread cull recently and I got to thinking... (I don't know if anything like this is already out there... but) it seems to me that a perfectly acceptable presentation of a truly impromptu and ungaffed invisible deck could be performed as follows (using 'move terminology' only, of course, so as to preserve our secrets):

1. this can be set prior to the trick or done in front of the spectator. As follows is in front of the spectator.
A.) Hofsinzer cull the Ace of spades to the top of the deck while spreading in front of the spectator and providing appropriate patter "A deck of cards contains 52 differently marked cards... yadda yadda."
B.) Reverse the Ace (top card) in an overhand shuffle via a Braue Reversal or similar move... and then overhand shuffle one more time to place the card center in the deck. (again all of this can be simply set prior to the trick... but to remain truly impromptu... this can be done right in front of the spec.)
C.) place the deck in the box and set aside and continue to provide the usual Invisible Deck patter... "Think of one card... any card in the deck... don't tell me what it is... feel free to change your mind... be sure to select one freely" Tell them not to pick the Ace of Spades if you like... or perhaps allow yourself to get out easy on the chance that they might...

2. Allow them to name their card as you take out the deck of cards as you would with the original effect, in face up position (as this is a regular deck of cards). Spread the cards in your hands FROM RIGHT TO LEFT HAND STARTING WITH THE TOP CARD AND WORKING DOWN (this is the oppoisite of what would be natural but it serves the purpose of hiding the pips behind the right thumb as they begin to spread to the left. Try it and see what I mean. (you take a risk in having the face card be the chosen card... in which case the effect could be over

3. Watch the pips in the lower right as you spread and Hofsinzer Cull the selected card to the top of the deck when you come to it as you spread (this may occur before OR after you arrive at the reversed card... either way the number marking on the card should be shielded by your right thumb at the moment that you steal it in the motion of spreading).

4. Out jog the reversed card as you spread and patter "you will see that in this visible deck there is one card turned face down from the rest". Finish spreading the cards, square them and remove the out jogged card (the ace) face down and as you do this turn the deck face down (bringing the actual selected card to the top). Casually set the face down card on the top of the deck (squared or not... just casually).

5. Do whatever DL get ready you prefer or do a push-off DL of the reversed card (ace) and the top card of the deck (selected card) and turn the card to show that "their card" has been reversed in the deck.

Clean up is a simple matter of turning the DL packet back and cutting them in... OR you can use the opportunity to have their "thought of" card signed and used in an ACR or similar routine from there.

Anyway, the idea is that in spreading from right to left while hiding the pips MAY be passable because the interest at that point in the presentation is in finding a reversed card rather than a specific suit and number. As the suits and faces are visible to the spectator however the numbers are not as the cards begin their motion from the right to the left... a wide and even-tempo spread of the cards should appear completely normal. The pips should come into view of the spectator as they clear the right thumb. I really think this could work and the spectator (even some magicians) would be none the wiser at first viewing.

The difficulty is in mastering a right to left spread and hofsinzer!!! That's the tricky part.

What do you think? Any thoughts?

I like the thinking. I think it could fly, and the fact that it's impromptu is the big bonus.

The weakness I see is that though I cull regularly, I've never culled with my left hand. Even spreading from right to left would be awkward for me. So it's not like I know the moves and can perform the trick - I essentially have to learn new moves specific to this trick. A left handed magician could pick this up instantly.

Don't get me wrong - I'll learn any move, regardless of difficulty if the effect is worth it. I'll play around with this and see how it feels - thanks for the idea!

Thanks! I'll try to play around with this. Come to think of it, I know Alvo Stockman has an impromptu version of the Invisible Deck which he called Singularity. Haven't check it out though.

Personally, I don't like the right-to-left spread. It makes the cards look blank except for what is peeking out behind the thumb. It doesn't look natural. I often perform Ackerman's Impromptu Ultra Mental which requires the cull of a thought of card. If you keep the spread tight and if you focus on the words "There is one card reversed in the deck" as you spread, then the spec is focused on seeing the face down card and not focused on finding their selection. Also, if you point the cards on a plane aimed partially at the spectator's eyes (not too far or the face down card will flash) then it is much more difficult for the spec to see what the cards are.

All in all, though, I'm going to try this out and see how it plays. Simpler execution than the Impromptu Ultra Mental but in that effect their actual thought of card really is the face down card which they can pull out themselves.

Or use a lefty deck?

Paul Harris has an effect in his AOA Vol 1 (Not sure about the volume) which is a very clean looking version of an impromptu brainwave using a borrowed deck.

I think it sounds like a very interesting idea.
The hiding of the pips I think would take a lot of practice to cover smoothly.
If you decide to use it on some people let us know how it goes.

[quote]On 2009-08-20 17:04, Steven Keyl wrote:
Personally, I don't like the right-to-left spread. It makes the cards look blank except for what is peeking out behind the thumb. It doesn't look natural.

Actually I think the advantage of the right to left spread is that the cards look right-side up to the spectator.

Gil Scott