Max,

I was tempted not to ask you the following. But it has been too long since I wanted to ask you (since when I did watch your tapes for the first time, many years ago) and so I will go ahead.

Which kind of other outcome / finale you were ready to present in case your participant had chosen the Ace of Spades (the card you take as example in your speech patter) ?

I see you almost abruptly changing your pace / tempo of speech and increasing it when delivering to him the "If you have chosen the Ace of Spades, say it now so that we can quickly end the routine" and meanwhile you did put your right hand in your pocket (and that to me it immediately appeared as a sort of "get-ready" for something different to follow if HE had indeed chosen the Ace of Spades).

Of course, in the filmed routine HE did not choose the Ace of Spades and thus you immediately "relaxed" your muscle tension (especially your face muscles relaxed) and went on with the full routine.

But... because in the tapes you don't explain what you would have done in that 1 out of 52 case... I assume it could have been anything, from pocket writing to produce some unequivocable proof you knew that in advance...

Also, I wonder how many / few people have asked you that since it seems everyone is "bitching" about Kurotsuke or Positive-Negative that, instead, I NEVER had problems with. Your explanations were thourough and clear, but people, probably out of disattention, missed some steps.

Thank you.

I don't have an out for the ace of spades situation. (I haven't watched the tape in a long time, but if I put my hand in my pocket it was simply a rest pose; there was nothing in the pocket.)

If the spectator ever does pick the aces of spades (which, in that routine, has yet to happen), I suppose I'll think of something viable.

Well, the timing you did the whole thing with, was making me think you were ready for a U Turn (so to speak) but, if you say that was not the case, then I double my congratulations to you for appearing ready to do something "sneaky" when you're not (and, probably, viceversa!)