Blackstone's Card Trick Without Cards

Blackstone's Card Trick Without Cards is a magic trick. As the trick requires only that a card is thought of, it does not require the use of a deck of cards.

Method

A spectator is instructed to think of any card (other than the joker). The magician then gives the following instructions:

• Take the card's face value (with aces counting as 1 and royal cards counting as 11, 12 and 13 respectively)
• Double it.
• Add 3.
• Multiply by 5.
• If the card the spectator is thinking of is a spade, subtract 1.
• If the card the spectator is thinking of is a heart, subtract 2.
• If the card the spectator is thinking of is a club, subtract 3.
• If the card the spectator is thinking of is a diamond, subtract 4.

The spectator then tells the magician the number the spectator is now thinking of. The magician then names the card.

Secret

The series of mathematical manipulations results in any given card producing a unique number. The multiplication by 2 and 5 means that the final number is ten times the card's value, plus a fixed 15 (for the addition of 3 and the multiplication by 5) and an additional suit-dependent figure. Thus both suit and value are readily identifiable.

This is a complete solution set for every possible value from the equation: (Note the last number is suit-dependent, and the beginning digit(s) are the card's face value plus one.)

1. 21=Ace of Diamonds
2. 31=Two of Diamonds
3. 41=Three of Diamonds
4. 51=Four of Diamonds
5. 61=Five of Diamonds
6. 71=Six of Diamonds
7. 81=Seven of Diamonds
8. 91=Eight of Diamonds
9. 101=Nine of Diamonds
10. 111=Ten of Diamonds
11. 121=Jack of Diamonds
12. 131=Queen of Diamonds
13. 141=King of Diamonds

1. 22=Ace of Clubs
2. 32=Two of Clubs
3. 42=Three of Clubs
4. 52=Four of Clubs
5. 62=Five of Clubs
6. 72=Six of Clubs
7. 82=Seven of Clubs
8. 92=Eight of Clubs
9. 102=Nine of Clubs
10. 112=Ten of Clubs
11. 122=Jack of Clubs
12. 132=Queen of Clubs
13. 142=King of Clubs

1. 23=Ace of Hearts
2. 33=Two of Hearts
3. 43=Three of Hearts
4. 53=Four of Hearts
5. 63=Five of Hearts
6. 73=Six of Hearts
7. 83=Seven of Hearts
8. 93=Eight of Hearts
9. 103=Nine of Hearts
10. 113=Ten of Hearts
11. 123=Jack of Hearts
12. 133=Queen of Hearts
13. 143=King of Hearts

1. 24=Ace of Spades
2. 34=Two of Spades
3. 44=Three of Spades
4. 54=Four of Spades
5. 64=Five of Spades
6. 74=Six of Spades
7. 84=Seven of Spades
8. 94=Eight of Spades
9. 104=Nine of Spades
10. 114=Ten of Spades
11. 124=Jack of Spades
12. 134=Queen of Spades
13. 144=King of Spades

When performing this magic trick, the performer does not need to remember the values and the corresponding number. There is a secret which will allow the performer to easily work out the card that corresponds to that number and it goes as follows:

To find the suit

• If the total ends in 1, it will be a diamond
• If the total ends in 2, it will be a club
• If the total ends in 3, it will be a heart
• If the total ends in 4, it will be a spade

To find the number

• The first number of the first two numbers minus one determines the value of the card
• e.g. the total was 74 indicated it is the 6 of spades

Literature

• Harry Blackstone, Blackstone's Tricks Anyone Can Do ISBN 0-8065-0862-0
• John Scarne, Scarne on Card Tricks ISBN 0-486-42735-8

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