I like that very much Alan. Very clever indeed.This particular presentation would really lead the audience up the garden path. The reveal would I imagine be all the more surprising.

Another thought occured today as concerning the possibility of a presentation based around the five elements:-

"Feel" "Hearing" "eyesight" "Taste" "Smell"

Perhaps there is potential to incorporate the application of the senses during the presentation. However "taste" might admittedly be a hard one to incorporate (!)

The 'double sided' approach gives me further food for thought.I see a lot of cutting and glueing ahead of me! Thanks for sharing.Andy.

I believe this was actually a Bob Ostin version of the effect on the market at one time,called "Auto Suggestion". He later came up with a funnier version called "Inebriation" which was marketed by himself and the cards were plastic. No longer on the market it can be found in the book "Bob Ostin- A Lifetime of Magical Invention" (2005). Worth a look.

Paul.

I learned it from an old vhs tape in which Bob Mcallister taught magic with every day objects back in the eighties. Man I wish I still had that tape.

Five Six Seven Eight

Andy said: "If anyone has come up with an improved formula for the ESP cards please let me know! "

??? Why not use "Will the signs match?" I think Larry Becker used that for jumbo ESP cards around 20 years ago in a routine called "Upper Alloha".

In "Redivider" Max Maven has some further ideas on this principle. And of course Howard Adams continues to come up with all sorts of variants.

Paul.

This is the last effect in Adams collection called OICUFESP.
There are some fun things in that book.
Unfortunately, when I showed Dan Strange my version he said that he was glad it was over.
His exact comment was a quote from Roger Klause, "I really liked the ending."

Peace,
Parson

Paul,I have sent you a PM as I think I have cracked it with respect to an improved formula for ESP cards

I like the ESP angle on this trick. It seems to just lend itself to the effect your doing anyway. I also like to hand the cards out at the end so the spec. can see these are real cards and not marked in anyway. I don't tell them they are normal I just ask if they would like to see the cards.

Good magic to all,


Eric

In the scandinavian math magazine: Nordisk Matematisk Tidskrift - Nr 1, 2009, page 32;

Martin Gardner writes: - "One of the finest of all mathematical magic tricks, not well known even to card magicians, was invented by Howard Hughes."

- Martin Gardner has published an amazing card trick invented by Howard Adams: Last Two Cards Match. It was first published in the rare 1984 booklet OICUFESP.

A pretty fun photo of Mr Martin Gardner as a King on a playing card is printed on the cover of this math magazine from scandinavia.

http://normat.no/

To French speaking people: any idea which sentence/words can be used in French?

I've not been able to find something appropriate and elegant so far...

I learned it from watching John Tremaine.

Is this the same effect as "please don't match by Terry LaGerould".

Best

Steve

In Semi Automatic card tricks vol 6 by Steve Beam there is a Lewis Jones trick called In Control which has a very nice way of getting into this matching trick, and a very nice presentation. He uses the spectators name. I use the word Magic. In his version you only need one word, not different length words. Also, I remember reading a very good trick in Scotland 5 X 5 by Peter Duffie that is a version of will the cards match using 16 cards. I no longer have this book and can't remember the name of the trick, but it was near the back. This version is very nice because as you spell the different phrases you deal the cards face up from each packet. This gives a sense that you see all the cards and no matching pairs are noticed. I can't actually remember what words Peter uses to spell. I think I changed them so I could talk about my favourite magicians. I use the words Goshman, Vernon, Ortiz, and Kort to spell. It is not exactly the same principle as Will The Cards Match, but the effect is similar. I always have had in mind the idea to creatie a comedy routine using this idea spelling different past girlfriends names talking about what a terrible match we were but everything matching at the end. Never got round to it... Maybe today ü. I wish I still had Peters book. I remember there being a lot of good stuff in it.