Dear Friends,
Thanks for adding me to this amazing community. I have been a hobby magician for many years, with my main avenue of performance using mathemagical effects (e.g. Martin Gardner) during a 20-year career of teaching Mathematics in order to inspire students.

Recently I developed a 2-person mentalism effect which I wanted to share so that it could be improved by the experts. It uses cards, and of course, it uses Maths.

Here's the effect. A spectator makes a genuine free selection of six playing cards. They are placed face up on the table. After careful thought, the spectator chooses one and seals it in an envelope.
The magician gathers up the remaining five cards and places them down on the table. At this point, the assistant comes into the room, looks at the five cards, and after a short moment announces the value and suit of the card in the envelope.

The secret is obviously the manner in which the cards are laid down - making a code for the sixth card. Is this an existing effect that I have inadvertently reproduced?

EDIT - As an obvious noob I'd be most grateful for a suggestion of a suitable forum to take this discussion! Thanks

Welcome RevdStephen,

Yes there are certainly codes in laying down cards and all manner of things.

I'd read in the "Magical Equations" and "Penny for your Thoughts" fora and see which seems best suited to your questions.

I'm reading Alice in Wonderland " again and I had not known that the Deacon Dodgson was a published Mathematician.

-Mary Mowder

Thanks for the welcome, Mary. I shall enjoy perusing those particular fora.

Lewis Carroll / Deacon Charles Lutwidge Dodgson was quite an extraordinary man. There is a famous anecdote about Carroll and Queen Victoria. Victoria enjoyed "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" so much that she requested a first edition of Carroll's next book. Carroll duly sent her a copy of the next book he published - a mathematical work with the exciting title "An Elementary Treatise on Determinants".

Take Care,
Stephen

Fun story, I'm sure that is not what she expected. It probably gave her a good laugh.

-Mary