I needed an impromptu trick after finishing a game of cards, and decided to use a favourite of mine 'Three Cards Across' as per 'The Royal Road'. It was a hospital environment, single spectator.

The Royal Road suggests using a force to arrive at the number three. I decided to live dangerously, and asked for a number between 1 and 5. Got lucky. He chose 3. I already had a 3 stacked in positions 2, 4 and 6 of the deck, so could have survived being given any number in the required range, but had he not chosen the right number, the effect would not have been any near as strong.

I do like this effect, but would like a stronger way of arriving at the number of cards to be transferred. As I say, it's great when I get lucky, but are there any other ideas that I could use?

Twm

Well, a trick I learned from somewhere else was to always phrase it as "pick a number between x and y"

That just leaves whats in between though it sounds fairer. So if you say "Picka number between one and 5" that only leaves 3 and 4 as choices. have an out for 4 and your golden

Doesn't that leave 2 as an option Cyberquat?

In this case I did have an escape route for 2 and 4, but could use the same escape for 1 and 5 if needed.

Having thought some more about it though, if I just ask them to turn over the top card after they gather them up after the count, and use the value of that card for the number to transfer, that should feel like a random selection?

Twm

You could always try using Magician's choice as an out, to arrive at 3. If done properly, this force can be really good.

Have you ever tried the Paul Harris version of this great trick? The good thing about this routine is that it almost happens in the spectator's hands. Not once but twice, with a good convincer at the end!

AJ

No, I haven't, but I just had a look at it on youtube, and there is lot of interesting stuff there.
The version I watched didn't bother giving the spactator an apparent choice of number of cards to transfer. So that's an easy get round.
Would the peculiar way of counting the cards first time round be more convincing if the stated reason was that you want the spectator to keep hold of all the cards during and after the count?

It's a really fun version, plus almost self working.

And theres is option of a bill across as part of this routine. I like it very much.