An unintentional con
I've always been a massive fan of Derren Brown, and after hearing he had brought out a book I rushed out to buy it. Don't worry, this isn't a predictable 'I paid £x for it - what a con!' type of post. It was actually pretty good. Although I was gutted to find there were no instructions for mind-control techniques. My plans for world domination had to be put on hold as a result.

Anyway, the book taught me many things, among them an easy yet impressive card trick. So, on my next pub trip I made sure to take a deck of cards with me.

After a few rounds of drinks, everyone was at the right level of drunkiness to fully appreciate my Mad Magic Skillz(tm). So I produced the deck of cards, no doubt with a drunken flourish, and asked for a volunteer.

My mate Scott stepped up to the mark. Now Scott's a great guy, but he ain't the sharpest tool in the box. This is a guy that managed to split his head open by falling up the stairs. While sober. But I digress...

So I shuffle the cards, and tap them on the table, glancing at the bottom card as I do so. Let's say it was the four of diamonds. I then place the cards on the table and ask him to cut the deck anywhere he likes. He takes the top card, and, like all good card tricks, I tell him to show everyone his card, making sure I can't see it. As he does this, I pick up the two piles, making sure the pile with the four of diamonds on the bottom is in my right hand.

Here's the clever part - he places his card onto the pile in my left hand and I put the right hand pile on top, so his card is right after the four of diamonds.

For added effect, I get him to shuffle the cards. Now when most people shuffle, the cards don't really get that mixed up, and to make sure I ask for them back after only a few shuffles.

Then, I begin to deal the cards onto the table one by one, looking him in the eyes the whole time. In my peripheral vision I notice the four of diamonds being dealt, and continue to deal the cards. After four or five more, I stop, and say, "Now, I'm willing to bet you that the next card I turn over will be your card."

He looks down, slightly confused, then a broad grin creeps across his face. "Okay then, I bet you a fiver it isn't."

I'm slightly taken aback - I hadn't set out to fleece him. He obviously thinks this is easy money, the fool. So I try and scare him off. "Tell you what, let's make it a tenner."

If his grin gets any wider, his head might fall off. "You're on!" he says, and actually rubs his hand together, still thinking he's onto a winner.

I shrug, look him in the eye, then reach down to the table and turn the Jack of clubs onto it's back - his card. The grin is wiped off his face in an instant as he sits motionless, staring at his card lying face down. Then the whole table bursts into laughter.

As I'm not an evil person, I use the tenner to get the next round in. After a few more drinks, I am finally persuaded to show them how it works.

The best part is, he tried to show it to his brother the next day and ended up ballsing it up, costing him another tenner.

Some people just shouldn't be allowed to breed...
(Pavlov's Frog figures no-one really reads sigs anyway, Sun 21 Oct 2007, 3:14, Reply)