82 entries in Cards / Principles / Locator Cards / Peculiarities of certain Cards
Creators Title Comments & References Year Source Page AA Categories
Natürliche Methode observing irregularities in back design
1896 132
Carl Willmann Zum Geheimnis der Falschspieler about naturally marked cards
Related to June 1896
Die Zauberwelt (Vol. 2 No. 6)
93
Das Kartensortieren performer sorts the shuffled into number and court cards without looking at the faces, using the principle that picture cards have more ink on them that (in those days) clings to the card underneath, impromptu rough-smooth
Nov. 1897
Der Zauberspiegel (Vol. 3 No. 5)
65
Friedrich "Fritz" Hügli Der gesteigerte Tastsinn four cards face-up on the table, one card is turned (not reversed) while performer is in other room, performer divines card
1927 48
Eric F. Impey A New Method of Card Location card chosen and replaced, spectator deals cards face-up, performer stops him at selection, key card from different deck
1928 3
Eric F. Impey A Latter-Day Card Miracle "dirty" key card is followed during dealing of shuffled card into two piles, card selected and replaced, then found from face-up spread
1928 4
Friedrich "Fritz" Hügli Das wispernde As always being able to locate certain card from the back, card apparently talks to performer
1930 61
Joe Berg Touch Reading De Luxe reading cards by touch after an honest riffle shuffle, without one-ahead, two different card finishes and interlocking chains
1930 43
Dai Vernon Super Card Prediction stabbing force with principle that used deck splits always at same point
Variations 1937 29
Charles T. Jordan Twentieth Century Sorcery exploiting special feature on back of Bicycle Blue Thistle Backs
1937 145
Charles T. Jordan The Mystery Problem position of selection is predicted, svengali deck with different finish on force cards, ending clean with switch-out
1937 251
Neat Card Detection only with Bicycle backs from the old days...
1937 299
Joe Berg An Amazing Card Location top five cards are shown not to be the selection, number up to five is called, card at that position is now selection, imperfection principle
1937 9
Off-Tone Key Card Sun-Marked Key Card
Worn-Back Key Card
1938 81
Ivory and Air Cushion Finish halves from different decks with different finishes, divided deck location
Related to 1938 448
William H. McCaffrey Blindfold Multiple Detection blindfolded magician divines several cards, different finishes
1938 449
R. M. Jamison Impromptu Slick Work ivory finish card in air cushion or linen deck
Dec. 1939
The Jinx (Issue 69)
472
Charles Hopkins 45 - Look for informal "readers". Check for telltale nicks/dirt/scrapes on cards
Related to 1940 63
Conny Steffensen Magische Lektionen brief explanations of various techniques to control a card, followed by french translation "Leçons de Magie"
  • 1. Durch Forcieren
  • 2. Anwendung der Volte
  • 3. Mit Hilfe der untersten Karte
  • 4. Ein Ersatz für die Volte
  • 5. Lange und breite Karte
  • 6. Eine billige, lange Karte
  • 7. Gebrochene Ecke
  • 8. Dicke Karte
  • 9. Kurze Karte
  • 10. Vergilbtes Spiel
  • 11. "Bleistiftstrich" auf der Seite des Spieles
  • 12. Rand und "Augen" Methode
  • 13. Die umgekehrte Karte
Related to 1946
Hokus Pokus (Vol. 8 No. 1)
5
Edward Marlo Imperfection Force under-the-spread force
Also published here 1947 8
Milbourne Christopher Milbourne Christopher's Column ideas for various tricks
  • Lit cigarette hold on thumb covered with handkerchief
  • idea for Al Baker's addition slate
  • on Lou Tannens shooting wand
  • Milk Pitcher
  • Brainwave Deck
  • gag with flash bill
  • Floating Ball
  • card location
Aug. 1947 341
Cy Endfield Time Must Tell using natural imperfection
Also published here Apr. 1949
The Phoenix (Issue 174)
696
Cy Endfield Time Must Tell using natural imperfection
Also published here 1955 25
Jack Avis All Fair Impromptu Spell mental spelling, imperfect card principle
1955
Ireland's Yearbooks (Issue Yearbook 1955)
18
Walter Behm Ein verblüffendes Kartenfinden
1955
Hokus Pokus (Vol. 16 No. 2)
282
Cy Endfield Time Must Tell using natural imperfection, clock lay out, with lie detector presentation
Also published here 1956 110
Russell "Rusduck" Duck Las Vegas Deck ivory and air cushion finish deck in conjunction with Rusduck's four-Way Deal, see No. 8 for history of the principle
Related to Mar. 1958
The Cardiste (Issue 6)
2
Russell "Rusduck" Duck Re: Las Vegas Deck comments by Stewart James and Dai Vernon
Related to May 1958
The Cardiste (Issue 8)
9
Natural Air Pocket Principle squared deck is often cut at the same spot because of natural air pockets
Related to 1962 31
Dai Vernon Vernon Super Card Prediction stabbing force with principle that used deck splits always at same point
1962 24
Edward Marlo Strippers from the Manufacturer called "The Great Discovery"
Related to 1964
The Patented Shuffle (Issue 5 I Shuffled the Cards)
16
North Bigbee Magick Aces using a brand new deck
1970
Magick (Issue 6)
29
Judson S. Brown Judson Brown (Genii - Dec, 1936) No. 395, bottom card warps as locator card, cheap deck
Also published here
  • "Deal Detection" (Judson Brown, Genii, Dec. 1936, p. 12)
1972 108
Aristocrat Cards: One Way Eliminating Trick No. 474, card chosen, spectator deals and stops anytime, one of the two piles is shuffled and dealt again the same way until one card remains which is the selection
1972 132
Dr. Jacob Daley Natural Break Location No. 577, exploiting cards where the deck naturally breaks by pressure
1972 161
Edward Marlo In Case of a Miss spectator chooses odd-backed card via face-up spread force, based on different coatings
1974 149
Edward Marlo Coated Locator using plastic coated card in standard deck
1975
Hierophant (Issue 7 Resurrection Issue)
51
Dai Vernon Glimpse Location Use creases and subtle dirt marks on cards as a key card
1975 223
Dai Vernon Suggestion for Spread Location (Mistitled as Top Change Misdirection) Use breaks/clumps in spread to find cards
1975 226
Edward Marlo Marlo Card Secrets two Items, how to have locators in new decks (switching cards between two different decks)
1976 316
Edward Marlo The Sting punch deal with natural edge marks, Bee deck, see Busby reference for credit information
Related to 1984 24
Dai Vernon, Frederick Braue Dai Vernon Force stabbing force with principle that used deck splits always at same point
Inspired by 1985 2
Edward Marlo Fingertip Controls three methods, one with a "horribly warped" deck
Related to 1988 263
Karl Fulves Hole Card Play cheating method with high-low rough-smooth deck (or different finishes)
1991
Swindle Sheet (Issue 7)
80
Vanni Bossi The Perfect Key Card
1992 19
Edward Marlo Odd Aces placing cards from other deck into deck as locator cards
Apr. 1992
The Olram File (Issue 11)
4
Vanni Bossi The Perfect Key Card card cut the other way put into deck, slick card
1992 29
Eddie Fechter Imperfection Peek
1993 35
John Northern Hilliard "Think , 'Stop!'" Card Tricks three methods, double backer and tactile key cards
1994 1211
Dai Vernon Vernon 1-3 three methods
1994 1245
Edward Marlo Mental Reselection spectator thinks of one of five cards, then choses one of them face-down, it's his mental selection
  • First Method (marked)
  • Second Method (five marked cards)
  • Third Method (five stacked cards)
  • Fourth Method (deck with imperfections)
Also published here
  • The New Tops, May 1979
1995 402
Ellis Stanyon The "Ivory" versus "Air Cushion" Finish No. 19, card replaced in deck with different finish
1999 202
Karl Fulves Crimp Practice stranger card in a deck
2000
Charlatan (Issue 4)
46
Christian Ehret Spread 'Em Again Kings are lost in deck, then Aces are found in face-down tabled spread by pulling them out, simplified
Inspired by 2000 14
Karl Fulves Different Finishes comment on combining deck with different finishes
Related to 2003
Off The Books (Issue 3)
36
Jack Avis Jack Avis Ideas - 3. half deck jumbo and normal index for divided deck location
2006 73
Jack Avis Jack Avis Ideas - 4. spectator thinks only jumbo index card
2006 73
Jack Avis Jack Avis Ideas - 5. having a wide jumbo index card in a deck, no application
2006 73
David Solomon Impromptu Svengali Deck Principle
2007 168
Edward Marlo Imperfection Force under-the-spread force
Also published here 2007 165
Aaron DeLong Cataclysmic un-gaffed haunted pack, exploiting natural breaking point
Mar. 2007
Antinomy (Vol. 3 No. 1)
20
Robert Cassidy An Interesting Fact on two different deck of the Hoyle Maverick Poker Size Playing Cards
2013 61
The Range Cut cutting precisely to spectator’s previously cut-to card (or within close range), natural air pocket principle
Related to
  • Moe Seidenstein, Moe and His Miracles with Cards, 1986
2014 132
Steve Forte Sorts combining a deck from different decks
2020 495
Steve Forte rough and smooth combining different finishes
2020 497
Andi Gladwin Aura three selections lost, first found by performer in face-down spread, second with deck in performer's pocket, third by spectator who reaches into pocket
Related to 2020 221
Ryan Murray Discovery on natural stripper properties in standard decks
2021 3
Ryan Murray The Natural Locator on the use of natural stripper properties in standard decks
  • Cutting to a Card
  • The Diagonal Grip
    • On the Table
    • In the Hands
  • The Strip-Out
    • Refinements
  • Nomenclature
2021 6
Ryan Murray Separating the Cards aligning natural stripper decks
  • Using the Printing Imperfections
  • Using Pip Orientation
  • Separation Shuffle A
  • Separation Shuffle B
  • Combining Separation Methods
2021 21
Ryan Murray As a Simple Location using natural stripper properties in standard decks
2021 55
Ryan Murray Blind Location using natural one-way printing property in standard decks
2021 56
Ryan Murray Impossible Location using natural stripper properties in standard decks
Related toVariations 2021 57
Ryan Murray Double Impossible Location with two locations, using natural stripper properties in standard decks
Inspired byRelated to 2021 59
Ryan Murray Lucky Poker Deal card selected from packet and lost, four hands dealt, chosen one contains four Sevens and selection, using natural stripper properties in standard decks
2021 61
Ryan Murray Mirrored a selection and its mate are located with fair procedure, using natural stripper properties in standard decks
2021 66
Ryan Murray Multiple Selection four cards lost, incompletely shuffled deck put in case, cards drop in except three of the selections, their added value are used to find last selection, using natural stripper properties in standard decks
Inspired by 2021 71
Ryan Murray Ace Cutting using natural stripper properties in standard decks
  • Tracking the Aces
  • Cutting to the Aces by Suit
  • Final Notes on Ace Cutting
2021 78
Ryan Murray Epiphany deck really shuffled face-up/face-down, using natural stripper properties in standard decks
2021 85
Ryan Murray Epilogue on natural stripper properties in standard decks, credit information
2021 99
Ryan Murray Appendix: References for natural stripper properties in standard decks
2021 103
Tony Binarelli Millennium Supermentalism a spectator finds another spectators's selections, jumbo index mixed with normal index
Inspired byAlso published here
  • MAGIC, Aug. 2007
2022 644
Joshua Jay In Sink several cards placed on water surface, all cards sink to the bottom except selection, plastic/paper
Also published here
  • MAGIC, Sep. 2011
2022 1056