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Card and Phone Trick

  • 26-07-2010 10:19am
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 658 ✭✭✭


    Hi all,

    Wondering if anyone can shed some light on this trick that's been played on me recently by the father in law. He's a mad one for the riddles and card tricks. I've managed to figure out most of them but he's got this one trick he does that I can't fully figure out.

    It goes as follows:
    • Pick any card from this deck
    • "Ok, got one, it's (for arguments sake) the 3 of clubs"
    • Now he picks up the phone, it can be either a mobile or landline. Dials his brother and hands me the phone without saying a word.
    • I tell the brother (it can be any one of 5 brothers by the way) who i am and the card i'm holding is...
    • ... and they get it right everytime.

    Now, I know there's no text messaging involved, no pre-messages of any kind. It's all done very well. I know there has to be a method of communication between the person doing the trick and the other person on the end of the phone. that's the bit that's throwing me, I can't figure it out.

    He know's i'm close and due to this is refusing to do the trick again for me in the fear i'll figure it out.

    Can anyone please tell me how it's done? I'd love to know so that I can modify it and do a similar one back on him without him knowing how.

    Possibly use the spoiler option when posting incase anybody doesn't want to know?

    Thanks in advance!


Comments

  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 4,658 Mod ✭✭✭✭Hyzepher


    Looks like a simple "Force" of the 3 clubs and the brothers know the card in advance.


  • Registered Users Posts: 658 ✭✭✭Chunks


    I eliminated that possibility when i shuffled the deck myself and chose a card at random the last time it was done on me. He didn't touch the card in any way, just got a glance at it when i showed it to him.


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,097 ✭✭✭✭zuroph


    He says nothing to the brother when he rings?


  • Registered Users Posts: 658 ✭✭✭Chunks


    no, not that I can tell


  • Registered Users Posts: 519 ✭✭✭cujimmy


    If he says 2 seperate words or makes 2 sounds when he phones the brother, then I know how he does it.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 658 ✭✭✭Chunks


    Now, thinking about it I think me may, when handing me the phone put his hand/finger over his mouth as if to mimic 'shhh' which I think me also might say, once or twice.
    Think this helps?


  • Registered Users Posts: 519 ✭✭✭cujimmy


    This is a very basic card trick found in any kids magic book so therfore I dont mind explaining:
    Your father in law phones the brother, who is expecting the call, as soon as the brother answers he starts saying the card suits, as soon as he says the choosen suit your father in law says shhh so his brother now knows that in this case its Clubs, the brother then rattles through the values from ace to king and again when he says the right value (in this case 3) your father in law again make a sound/ says something/coughs/shhh etc and the brother knows what card you have


  • Registered Users Posts: 658 ✭✭✭Chunks


    Now, that's what I figured, however... the last time it was done on me I got to choose which brother he rang (he has a good few) AND his brother didn't answer the phone, his wife did. By the time the phone was handed to me the brother was only getting to it on his end.
    I don't think there was enough time on his end to rattle off suits and numbers to be honest. It was all much quicker than that.


  • Registered Users Posts: 519 ✭✭✭cujimmy


    The secret of magic is preparation, so why werent all his brothers and their wives involved?


  • Registered Users Posts: 658 ✭✭✭Chunks


    Im pretty sure he hasn't got time though to go through suits and numbers....As soon as the phone is answered it's pretty much passed over straight away.

    Besides, he rings the landline, there's no caller ID that comes up. When you answer a phone and you hear nothing on the other end do you start rattling off cards and suits? Instinct says to say 'hello' about 10 times


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  • Registered Users Posts: 11,097 ✭✭✭✭zuroph


    in that case we'd need to see the presentation.


  • Registered Users Posts: 519 ✭✭✭cujimmy


    zuroph wrote: »
    in that case we'd need to see the presentation.

    Agree

    Sometimes what you see and what you remember are 2 different things


  • Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 2,603 Mod ✭✭✭✭horgan_p


    in the interests of keeping it simple - is it always the 3 of clubs ?


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 4,658 Mod ✭✭✭✭Hyzepher


    Has he ever let you physically ring the brother?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,874 ✭✭✭padma


    A friend of mine in Cork did something similar to me. He asked me think of any number, don't say it aloud, then rang the "phantom" an ould fella he knows. The guy answered the phone and repeated the number I thought of back to my friend. He was correct everythime he did it.


  • Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 2,603 Mod ✭✭✭✭horgan_p


    Well the golden rule with predictions is you either affect the outcome beforehand , or alter the prediction after the fact. So either it isnt a free choice, or there's something in the revelation.
    I highly doubt its a psychological subtlety , so i'm betting its in the revelation.


  • Registered Users Posts: 37 SlickanTwisted


    here is something I invented about 10 years ago ......way before the card to phone app for the iphone ......enjoy

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4L5gUt1Crbc

    :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 61 ✭✭ullickmagee


    I would assume that he is pressing a key on the keypad of the phone once the brother answers(Each time you press a key during a call the person who answers will hear a beep) a number of times for the card Suit... I.E Hearts -= 1 press(1 beep).. Clubs = 2 presses (2 Beeps), etc.. Then a pause and the required amount of presses for the card number.. Ace -= 1 beep, jack 11, King 13,

    The brothers and wives are in on the trick and once the message has been delivered the phone is handed over.

    Ask him to do it with the speaker on.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 11,812 ✭✭✭✭evolving_doors


    Does he actually know what the card you pick is before during or after the call is made? Or can you pick the card put it in your pocket and not show him?

    It could be a force card (a whole deck of 3 of clubs') but he switches the deck once you pick the card or while he hands you the phone..If he gives you the deck to examine after the trick (as opposed to before!) then there is something dodgy with the deck IMO


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 65 ✭✭Taajsgpm


    exactly its always the 3 of clubs LOL


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