Good evening guys,

Just a question concerning ACAAN effect, I have been considering different ways of presenting it for a long time (I use Matthew Johnson's ACAAN, which is great): is it better to perform the ACAAN as itself, I mean asking any card and any number, and then the spectator counts the cards etc…, and it matches, OR do you think it may be better to do a presentation which uses a peek-pad, I mean the first spectator writes down his tought-of card, for example 7C (you peek) and then you give the pad to another spectator who writes his number, for example 47 (you peek). After that, you give a deck of cards to this last spectator, who deals the cards, WITHOUT revealing his number (he is counting silently in his head), and then stops at his number, and the card where he stopped is the 7C, it matches! Here, for the spectator's point of view, you never know the card, neither the number...

Would you advise me to do a “simple” presentation, when you know the card and the number, or does the use of a peek-device add a "plus" to the whole routine?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts

The thing that makes ACAAN so great is that we magicians know the odds. No matter what presentation you use, you should clearly let the specs know the chances of 1 in 52 cards hitting 1 in 52 spots is ridiculous.

Obviously not knowing either can make the effect stronger, but the spec would need to not have any suspicion that you peeked, which is a thought that is easily enough to form, even if they don't know how. If you use the peek, I'd suggest using it to prove the synchronicity between two spectators. "Without knowing it of each other, they make the effect work together (with minimal interference from the performer)." In that case you can take credit for finding the "match".

John born as great presintation to go with his method about how things are meant to be. I would highlyrecomend his book , meant to be. even if you allready have a favorate method the book will show you all the different presintations that can be done with the trick and how to make the trick as strong as it can be.

Thanks for this nice and great piece of advice Jake, I will go through this book right now

About the odds I mentioned. They remind me of an effect by Luke Jermay in which he uses increasing odds in his final reveal. First he finds a selected card, but it doesn't end there. He also reveals a perfect blackjack hand, a supposed perfect bridge hand (all cards of one suit) and ends by revealing a royal flush).

I think the ACAAN would benefit a lot if you include an effect like this in the routine you do so you can sneak in those odds naturally.

I don't do this, but if I was going to something like ACAAN, and I know that this is the beginner's section of the Café..but some of Richard Busch's Destiny Responce would play beautifully with an effect like this.

And that's with any method too..

If you are interested in ACAAN plot, check out the "Mastermind" by Chris Kenworthey...Is a very interesting version!

The disadvantage of this presentation is somewhat lose the focus of who is the magacian, i.e. who perform the magic? The strong bonding being you as the magician and you make the magic thing happened becomes blur. Since you know nothing and you did nothing (from audience prespective), the glory is not on you.

The counting person could fit more the magician role since he stop at the right card or the card naming person fit more the magician role since he can predict the card. But you did nothing.