151 entries in Cards / Sleights / Estimation / Visual Estimation
Creators Title Comments & References Year Source Page AA Categories
The Lost Found performer removes sets of four cards from behind back and asks whether selection is among them, once the spectator says yes the card is located, estimation of position of card
Related to 1897 71
Ben-Zur Unglaublich, aber wahr! deck shuffled, spectator cuts anywhere and remembers bottom card and replaces top half, performer removes sets of four cards from behind back and asks whether selection is among them, once the spectator says yes the card is located, estimation of packet thickness
Related to July 1904
Der Zauberspiegel (Vol. 4 No. 7)
106
T. Nelson Downs Fourth Method spectator peeks at a card in his own hands and it is found, estimation and stack (for practice only), "the bungling and unobserving performer will meet his Waterloo in this experiment"
Variations 1909 152
Laurie Ireland Thought Reading Extraordinary spectator cuts to any card, performer reads mind from distance, estimation & memorized deck
1931 18
Tom Sellers Cut spectator and performer each have half the deck, performer wins at cutting the high card
1931 20
William Larsen The Cut In Detection spectator choses any card, puts it in center and cuts, performer locates card
1931 2
Tommy Tucker The Card Miracle
1933 19
Appleton improvement Eren's Spelling Card estimation to follow position, maneuvering selection to approximately twelve
Inspired by 1933 23
Theodore Annemann Another Sympathetic Mystery two decks, spectator selects card from one, performer finds duplicate in other deck, stacked, estimation, fishing
Related to 1934 26
Laurie Ireland A Most Unusual Experiment in Which a Chosen Card Appears Instantly at Any Number in the Deck from 10 to 45
Related to 1935
Ireland's Yearbooks (Issue Yearbook 1935, "New Card and Coin Manipulation")
10
Tommy Tucker The Card Miracle - Certain: 1. Tucker's Version spectator cuts anywhere and remembers bottom card, estimation, card is on top or in pocket in this handling
Related to 1937 37
Percy Abbott 2. Abbott's version. "The Certain Card Trick." spectator cuts anywhere and remembers bottom card, estimation, dealing out in packets and asking in which one it is
Related toVariationsAlso published here 1937 37
T. Nelson Downs 3. The Nelson Downs Original. spectator cuts anywhere and remembers bottom card, estimation, card is on top or in pocket in this handling
Related to 1937 38
William Larsen Cut in Detection estimated floating key card
1937 39
Ben Erens Superlative Speller estimation to follow position, maneuvering selection to approximately twelve
Variations 1937 45
You Selected the - estimation
1937 46
Easy Card Divination
1937 180
Theodore Annemann Another Sympathetic Mystery two decks, spectator selects card from one, performer finds duplicate in other deck, stacked, estimation, fishing
Related to 1937 214
Joe Berg Berg's Miracle Spread card chosen and lost cleanly from shuffled deck, later removed from face-up spread, performer locates card in another deck
1937 4
Percy Abbott The Certain Card Trick
Also published here 1940 403
40 - Estimating the cut.
1940 56
Louis Lam Amazo card cut to is revealed, with a deck with 32 cards
1940 4
Bob Hummer The Whispering Spirit packet is cut and subtracted from a unknown calculation (age x nine), amount of cards in packet is divined when result is named
Also published here 1941 1
Eddie Joseph Cutting the Pack named number of cards cut off, estimation and false count
1941 10
Arthur H. Buckley Four Chances - A Novel Card Location Experiment No. 13 - position where spectator cuts to is estimated
1946 163
Warren Wiersbe Miracle Peek spectator cuts anywhere and remembers card, estimation, fishing, stack
1946 27
George Coons This Is Your Card spectator removes a card each from ten-card groups, when his selection is among them he takes this one
Variations 1946 12
I Should Judge spectator cuts to and remembers a card, deck dealt into five pile and spectator says which pile has his selection, spectator deals through cards and performer stops him at selection
Related toAlso published here 1946 38
Edward Marlo Card Stab card vanishes, then deck is wrapped in newspaper and card stabbed to
Related to 1947 38
Dai Vernon Judgment spectator peeks himself and remembers a card, performer looks through cards, spectator names card and performer names position
Related toAlso published here 1949 59
Charles Nyquist, Edward Dart The Stopper Mind Reading Trick No. 117
Related to 1950 227
Glänzend geraten! cut a pile and remember number and card
1952
Hokus Pokus (Vol. 13 No. 2)
18
Elmer Biddle Biddle Diddle challenge location of peeked card
June 1957
Ibidem (Issue 10)
10
Neal Elias Mental Count Three-spot card pushed in reversed in deck, it is next to peeked-at selection or used to count to it
  • Alternate Procedure (a card reversed in the center, it's the selection or leads to it)
  • Stab Trick - a variation (card stabbed to in paper-wrapped deck)
Variations Mar. 1959
Ibidem (Issue 16)
9
Neal Elias Double Selection two cards peeked at in two halves are found, faro
Inspired byVariations Mar. 1959
Ibidem (Issue 16)
10
Amazing James Randi A Little Mental: Thot #2 as "The Modest Randi"
performed over television interactively, everyone remembers a card in the center, deals out deck into six piles, takes pile with selection, it will be at same position for every spectator
Oct. 1960
Ibidem (Issue 22)
27
Edward Marlo Estimation Faro bringing cards together with faro shuffle, not 100%
1961 30
Charlie Miller Fifteen Card Trick Routine - 4 card chosen from and replaced in spread, fair, found via stop trick
1961 12
Edward Marlo First Method: The Comparison Method comparing two packets, cited as Mechanical Estimation, but it's rather visual
Related to 1962 2
Edward Marlo Visual Retention Estimate estimating visual size instead of number
1962 20
Edward Marlo Estimation Demonstration or Practice several packets, number of cards is estimated
1962 23
Edward Marlo Key Card Plus Estimation: First Method in demonstration cut performer notes key in approximate center, then spectator cuts anywhere, remembers bottom card, replaces and cuts a few times
1962 24
Edward Marlo Key Card Plus Estimation: Second Method spectator cuts anywhere, remembers bottom card, replaces, then performer notes bottom card and spectator cuts a few times
Related to 1962 26
Edward Marlo Key Card Plus Estimation: Third Method in demonstration nail gauge cut performer notes key near top, then spectator cuts anywhere, remembers bottom card, and cuts packet a few times, optionally with three key cards
1962 26
Edward Marlo Key Card Plus Estimation: Fourth Method two card location, deck cut into three packets, bottom card of two of the packets remembered, all assembled and cut, estimation and key card
Related to 1962 28
Edward Marlo Key Card Plus Estimation: Seventh Method spectator hopefully cuts into bridge crimp, otherwise estimation as out
1962 30
Edward Marlo Key Card Plus Estimation: Ninth Method "natural air pocket principle", performer tries to cut at same position as spectator did
1962 31
Edward Marlo Key Card Plus Estimation: Tenth Method real overhand shuffle after fingertip peek estimation, estimated red/black key shuffle
1962 32
Edward Marlo X-Ray Spelling performer names a card and spells it out, estimated cut and spelling
Related to 1962 51
Edward Marlo A Marlo Miracle card vanishes via double push-off deal, then it is stabbed in paper-wrapped deck
1962 64
Edward Marlo Marlo Miracle "Stop" Stab deck wrapped in paper, estimation, faro
Inspired byRelated to 1962 65
Harry Lorayne Stab-Two between two selections, deck wrapped in paper, estimation
Also published here 1962 39
Harry Lorayne Stop! estimation of place spectator cuts to
Related toVariations 1962 64
Harry Lorayne Three for the Money Three-spot as multiple out indicator card
Variations 1962 106
James Steranko The Ultimate Move on estimating cuts by sight
Related to 1962 10
James Steranko Ultimation some more comments on estimating a spectator's cut
  • Partial Judgment vs. Total Judgment (packet pulled out of center)
  • Delayed Completion
1962 14
James Steranko Part One spectator cuts anywhere, remembers bottom card and replaces, then cuts again, performer takes cards behind back, then spectator spells out his card, including one additional cut in the estimation
1962 15
James Steranko Part Two spectator cuts anywhere, remembers bottom card and replaces, then cuts again as often as he likes, deck spread face up and performer finds card
Related toVariations 1962 16
James Steranko Part Three two cards selected by cutting off packets, all assembled and cut a few times, performer finds cards
Related to 1962 17
James Steranko Plus One spectator cuts anywhere, remembers bottom card and replaces, gives deck a riffle shuffle, performer finds card
Inspired byRelated to 1962 17
Edward Marlo No Key - Faro Aces without key cards and counting
Related to 1964 5
Edward Marlo Marlo Miracle Aces classic faro Ace cutting ("estimation aces"), last Ace found at named number
Related toVariationsAlso published here 1964 44
Harry Lorayne Pseudo Memory #2 apparently order of shuffled deck is remembered, position of cut-to card is named
Related toVariationsAlso published here 1965 65
Dai Vernon A Mental Discovery apparently deck is remembered, then position of selection named
Related to 1970 38
James G. Thompson Jr. Tangible Intangible presented as thought-of card
Winter 1972
The Pallbearers Review Vol. 5-8 (Vol. 7 No. 6th Folio)
493
Dai Vernon Daley's Estimating Peek: 2) Vernon Estimate No. 337-2, fingertip peek, performer looks through cards, spectator names card and performer names position
Also published here 1972 94
John Scarne Scarne's Guess Red Or Black No. 674, number of red and black cards in cut-off packet from shuffled deck predicted, guessing and false count
1972 184
Robert (Bob) Hess Focal Point one of ten cards, OOSOOM
Inspired by
  • Hull's "Mental Discernment"
Variations
May 1973 625
Gene Finnell Centering placing a selection so that it is half the deck away from a key card
1. By Estimation
2. By an "over and under" shuffle
3. variation
4. variation of 2.
1973 40
Edward Marlo A Three Packet Estimation multiple card control via estimation, spelling application mentioned
1974 238
Karl Fulves Spellblind using Stevens Control, estimation speller
1975 107
Lenny Greenfader Think of Any Card spectator removes five cards, one of which is selection
1975 84
Gerald Kosky E.S.P. cards placed inside envelopes are divined
1975 166
Simon Aronson Two Card "No Touch" Location spectator cuts off a packet and remembers bottom card, second spectator shuffles same packet and chooses a card, both named by performer
Also published here 1978 95
Harry Lorayne Straight On spectator cuts anywhere, magician names card, some cards set in center, estimation as out, Vernon's?!
1979 162
Another way to do the same, having yourself indeed never seen the card. Richard Kaufman's transcription of Reginald Scot's card section
Related to 1979 64
André Robert Tele "Vision" using estimation
Variations Apr. 1980
Apocalypse (Vol. 3 No. 4)
335
Bob Hummer The Whispering Spirit packet is cut and substracted from a unknown calculation (age x nine), amount of cards in packet is divined when result is named
Also published here 1980 28
Edward Marlo, Martin A. Nash Marlo Miracle Aces classic faro ace cutting ("estimation aces"), last ace found at named number
Inspired by 1980 4
John Henderson Three Plus estimated stab and multiple out
Nov. 1981
Apocalypse (Vol. 4 No. 11)
563
Karl Fulves 4-Ever spectator cuts, remembers card and replaces, faro
Related to 1981 16
Joe Dignam ESTImateOn spectator thinks of a card and performer removes mate
July 1981
Spell-Binder (Vol. 1 No. 3)
40
Out of Possession Location visual estimation and stack with multiple out
Inspired by 1985 23
Harry Riser Estimation Help jogged corner short
1987 7
John C. Wagner Estimation #1 spectator thinks of card in ribbon spread deck
1987 97
John C. Wagner The Wagnerian Miracle spectator cuts anywhere and remembers bottom card, performer names position, estimation
1987 109
Rich Bloch The Eyes of Cheops spectator cuts deck and remembers a card, performer apparently memorizes entire deck, convincing pseudo-demonstration
Related to Jan. 1987
Magick (Issue 384)
1917
T. Page Wright A Cut Card Detection spectator cuts anywhere and replaces, then cuts deck some more
1991 287
Peter Duffie Thoughts on the Bottom estimation & Bottom Deal
Also published here 1992 15
Roger Crosthwaite Packet Thickness Estimation performer cuts off named number of cards, no set-up
Variations 1992
Technomagic (Issue 13)
100
Justin Higham Perfect Estimate performer cuts off named number of cards, no set-up
Inspired byVariations 1992
Technomagic (Issue 13)
100
Justin Higham Another Perfect Estimate performer cuts off named number of cards, no set-up, bottom deals
Inspired by 1992
Technomagic (Issue 13)
101
Heart Beats estimating position of selection
1994 1215
John Northern Hilliard, Card Locations and Detection three methods, estimation
1994 1244
Mike Schwartz Stab Stab Stab deck rests on edge on table, performer stabs joker quickly into side a few times, last time next to selection
1994
Rigmarole (Issue 9)
105
Roger Crosthwaite The Kilburn Cut estimation cut to locate a card à la Marlo
1994 13
Peter Duffie Thought Up Plus spectator cuts, remembers card and replaces, card rises, faro, "is it one of these?"
Inspired by
  • "Thought Up" (Peter Duffie, Ulterior Motifs, 1992)
Variations
1994 14
Simon Aronson Two Card "No Touch" Location spectator cuts off a packet and remembers bottom card, second spectator shuffles same packet and chooses a card, both named by performer
Also published here 1994 88
Peter Duffie Thoughts on the Bottom estimation & Bottom Deal
Related toVariationsAlso published here 1995 232
Edward Marlo New Approach Location deck shuffled, packet cut off and this cut into two piles again, bottom card of one remembered and replaced, performer reverses selection (or card next to it) under table
Also published here
  • The New Tops, Dec. 1974
1995 201
Dai Vernon The Cutting Edge estimation principle for estimating difference of two piles, always even
Related to 1996 80
Karl Fulves No Contact Location spectator cuts and remembers face card, dealt into four piles
Related to 1996 79
Harry Riser The Instant Speller spelling to a selection from shuffled deck
1996 30
Harry Lorayne Pseudo-Gedächtnis Nr. 2 apparently order of shuffled deck is remembered, position of cut-to card is named
Also published here 1996
Intermagic (Vol. 20 No. 2)
59
Frederick Braue Braue Nikola Fish estimation and fishing
1997 16
The Spread cards spread face-up on table, spectator thinks of one, performer estimates
1997 16
Eddie Clever A Clever Trick out-of-hand selection procedure with center cut, no keys, spectator removes five cards one of which must be the selection, performer finds it
VariationsAlso published here
  • "He Only Thinks" (Magic in the Modern Manner, Orville Meyer, 1949)
Oct. 1997
Onyx (Issue 1)
19
Ken Simmons Variation by Ken Simmons out-of-hand selection procedure with center cut, no keys, spectator removes five cards one of which must be the selection, performer finds it, with additional riffle shuffle after the selection by spectator
Inspired by Oct. 1997
Onyx (Issue 1)
20
Eddie Fields Estimation Station spectator thinks of any card and checks whether it is in the deck
Related to 1997 35
Known and Unknown Card Queen face up on top, any unknown card placed face down onto Queen and deck cut, performer takes cards behind his back and names card above Queen
1997 117
Al Koran Miracle Card Stab exact center
1998 123
Roger Crosthwaite Focused Television card thought of, spectator removes five cards one of which must be selection, it is found
Inspired byRelated to 1999 75
Ellis Stanyon Noting Position Where Drawn Card Is Replaced No. 13, approximate position of card noted, then groups shown and asked whether spectator sees his card among them
1999 8
Max Malini Malini's "Peep" Location "From a notebook of Vernon material"
spectator peeks at card, distance from step estimated
Nov. 1999
Genii (Vol. 62 No. 11)
32
Roger Crosthwaite One-Way Estimation Speller
1999 81
Roger Crosthwaite One-Way Sequence Location selection made from and lost in table spread
  • First Method
  • Second Method
1999 82
Roberto Giobbi Visual Estimation advice on practicing
2000 879
An Application
2000 879
Location Using Outs with a technical solution to replace fishing
2000 880
Roberto Giobbi Impossibility estimation
Related to 2000 889
Tom Gagnon Automatic Ace Cutting by dribbling, good poker hand is found
Inspired byVariations 2000 35
Steve Beam Competition Cutting by dribbling, good poker hand is found
Inspired by 2000 37
Karl Fulves, Charles T. Jordan Conceal and Reveal No. 28, three spectators cut off a pile and look at the bottom card, three piles made and spectators remove cards from each packet, selection must be one, performer reveals all
2001 58
Peter Gröning Estimation card chosen fairly, performer removes a card and pockets it, it turns out to be the selection
Related to 2002 24
Karl Fulves Repeat After Me two decks, spectator cuts and remembers face card, then replaces, cuts behind back, both decks spread face-up, performer and spectator each push out three cards, one must be selection, performer's cards are added and counted down to in his deck, it matches spectator's selection
Inspired by
  • "He Only Thinks" (Eddie Clever, Magic In The Modern Manner, Orville Meyer, 1949)
Related to
2003
Off The Books (Issue 3)
21
Grace Ann Morgan The Off Center Shuffle getting a glimpsed selection to the top
2004 58
Harry Riser Shuffle Estimation estimated seventeenth placement during overhand shuffle, a Three used to locate selection
Also published here
  • MUM, May 1990
2006 81
Harry Riser Orafitse "Esti-Faro", Three value finds selection
Also published here
  • MUM, Jan. 1996
2006 110
Dai Vernon The Weight Guesser Magician knows position of spectators card, estimation
Related toVariations 2007 45
Arthur Finley I Should Judge spectator cuts to and remembers a card, deck dealt into five pile and spectator says which pile has his selection, spectator deals through cards and performer stops him at selection, with connection to Arthur Finley
Also published here 2007 19
David Britland The Trick That Baffled Babbage 2.0
  • Cardopolis
card cut to, remembered and replaced, ends up at a chosen number, mis-spelled "Babbabe" in title
Inspired by Aug. 2010
Genii (Vol. 73 No. 8)
42
Pit Hartling Identidades Remotas packet is cut, three cards are taken from that spot and divined
Related to
  • "Thought Transference" (George W. Lord, Linking Ring Vol. 43 No. 6, June 1963)
Also published here
  • "Remote Identities" (Pit Hartling, Circular, Nov. 2001)
2010
El Manuscrito (Vol. 3 No. 13)
369
Tom Stone Quick Memo edge marked cards in memorized stack, spectator peeks at card which is divined
Related to 2011 148
Harry Lorayne 3-4-1 three piles, spectator moves his selected card from pile to pile, performer divines piles and names card
2011 95
Patrick Page Guesstimation spectator cuts a packet and remembers card, card is found, three variations
Variations 2011 112
John Born The Perfect Pick Spectator picks random card, names three cards (one of them is the card), magician divines which is the card selected
2012 15
John Born Seeking the Bridge (The Bridging Principle) divine three cards selected via riffle peek, provides different methods
  • Technique 1: with peek
  • Technique 2: with force
  • Technique 3: no peek, no force
  • Technique 4: estimation
Variations 2012 23
John Born, Jed B. Smith Slugged Memory demonstration for a game of poker, tracking a memorized slug
2012 91
Edward Marlo, Michael Close, Andrew Wimhurst, Patrick Lehnen Jive Aces with whole deck under box kicker
Inspired by 2013 11
Joseph Barry E-CAN fairly peeked-at card, at position named by spectator
2014 11
Tomas Blomberg Estimated Sunken Key two selected cards by spectator and magician, spectator deals the deck in six piles, two possible endings:
first ending: both cards are next to each other in the same pile
second ending: both cards are in the same position in different piles
Inspired by 2014 134
Pit Hartling, Denis Behr Memory Maven Variation method variation of Pit Hartling's effect
Inspired by Winter 2017
Quarterly (Issue 5)
28
Harry Lorayne Three Does It Three-spot as multiple out indicator card
2017 239
Johnny Thompson Expert Estimating the Aces
Inspired by 2018 141
Harry Lorayne Stab-Two between two selections, deck wrapped in paper, estimation
Also published here 2018 53
Steve Forte estimation dead-cut, cutting off a packet from tabled deck with an Ace at its face
2020 758
Steve Forte Lift and Drop Aces one by one from different parts of the deck
2020 776
Edward Marlo Miracle Ace Routine last Ace found at named number
Also published here 2020 156
Larry Jennings LJ on Vernon’s Weight Guesser performer knows position of spectators's fingertip peeked card, estimation
Inspired byRelated to 2020 380
Dani DaOrtiz As close to the center as you can spectator cuts to and looks at a card and buries it, can estimate range of cards he cut to
2021 103
Max Malini Malini's Location spectator peeks at a card in his own hands and it is found, estimation
Inspired by 2022 271