Visual Estimation

120 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 New Era Card Tricks 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 The Art of Magic 152
Laurie Ireland Thought Reading Extraordinary spectator cuts to any card, performer reads mind from distance, estimation & memorized deck
 		1931 Ireland Writes a Book 18
Tom Sellers Cut spectator and performer each have half the deck, performer wins at cutting the high card
 		1931 Magical Pleasantries 20
William Larsen The Cut In Detection spectator choses any card, puts it in center and cuts, performer locates card
 		1931 I Won't Play Cards With Him 2
Tommy Tucker The Card Miracle
1933 Expert Manipulative Magic 19
Appleton improvement Eren's Spelling Card estimation to follow position, maneuvering selection to approximately twelve
Inspired by 1933 Page Wright's Notebook 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 SH-H-H--! It's A Secret 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 Encyclopedia of Card Tricks 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 Encyclopedia of Card Tricks 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 Encyclopedia of Card Tricks 38
William Larsen Cut in Detection estimated floating key card
 		1937 Encyclopedia of Card Tricks 39
Ben Erens Superlative Speller estimation to follow position, maneuvering selection to approximately twelve
Variations 1937 Encyclopedia of Card Tricks 45
You Selected the - estimation
 		1937 Encyclopedia of Card Tricks 46
Easy Card Divination
1937 Encyclopedia of Card Tricks 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 Encyclopedia of Card Tricks 214
Percy Abbott The Certain Card Trick
Also published here 1940 Expert Card Technique 403
40 - Estimating the cut.
1940 "Outs" Precautions and Challenges 56
Louis Lam Amazo card cut to is revealed, with a deck with 32 cards
 		1940 Fast Ones 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 The Whispering Spirit 1
Eddie Joseph Cutting the Pack named number of cards cut off, estimation and false count
 		1941 How Gamblers Win 10
Arthur H. Buckley Four Chances - A Novel Card Location Experiment No. 13 - position where spectator cuts to is estimated
 		1946 Card Control 163
Warren Wiersbe Miracle Peek spectator cuts anywhere and remembers card, estimation, fishing, stack
 		1946 Mental Cases With Cards 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 50 Tricks You Can Do, You Will Do, Easy to Do 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 to 1946 50 Tricks You Can Do, You Will Do, Easy to Do 38
Edward Marlo Card Stab card vanishes, then deck is wrapped in newspaper and card stabbed to
Related to 1947 Marlo In Spades 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 52 Amazing Card Tricks 59
Charles Nyquist, Edward Dart The Stopper Mind Reading Trick No. 117
Related to 1950 Scarne on Card Tricks 227
Glänzend geraten! cut a pile and remember number and card
 		1952 Hokus Pokus (Vol. 13 No. 2) 18
Edward Marlo Estimation Faro bringing cards together with faro shuffle, not 100%
 		1961 The Multiple Shift 30
Charlie Miller Fifteen Card Trick Routine - 4 card chosen from and replaced in spread, fair, found via stop trick
 		1961 The Magic of Charles Earle Miller 12
Edward Marlo The Comparison Method comparing two packets, cited as Mechanical Estimation, but it's rather visual
 		1962 Estimation 2
Edward Marlo Visual Retention Estimate estimating visual size instead of number
 		1962 Estimation 20
Edward Marlo Estimation Demonstration or Practice several packets, number of cards is estimated
 		1962 Estimation 23
Harry Lorayne Stab-Two between two selections, deck wrapped in paper, estimation
Also published here 1962 Close-up Card Magic 39
Harry Lorayne Stop! estimation of place spectator cuts to
Related toVariations 1962 Close-up Card Magic 64
Harry Lorayne Three for the Money Three-spot as multiple out indicator card
Variations 1962 Close-up Card Magic 106
Edward Marlo No Key - Faro Aces without key cards and counting
Related to 1964 Faro Controlled Miracles 5
Edward Marlo Marlo Miracle Aces classic faro Ace cutting ("estimation aces"), last Ace found at named number
Related toVariationsAlso published here 1964 Faro Controlled Miracles 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 My Favorite Card Tricks 65
Dai Vernon A Mental Discovery apparently deck is remembered, then position of selection named
Related to 1970 Expanded Lecture Notes 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 Jacob Daley's Notebooks 94
Robert (Bob) Hess Focal Point one of ten cards, OOSOOM
Inspired by
  • Hull's "Mental Discernment"
Variations 		May 1973 The Pallbearers Review Vol. 5-8 (Vol. 8 No. 7) 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 Gene Finnell's Card Magic 40
Edward Marlo A Three Packet Estimation multiple card control via estimation, spelling application mentioned
 		1974 The Unexpected Card Book 238
Karl Fulves Spellblind using Stevens Control, estimation speller
 		1975 Riffle Shuffle Technique — Part Two 107
Lenny Greenfader Think of Any Card spectator removes five cards, one of which is selection
 		1975 Afterthoughts 84
Gerald Kosky E.S.P. cards placed inside envelopes are divined
 		1975 The Magic of Gerald Kosky 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 The Card Ideas of Simon Aronson 95
Harry Lorayne Straight On spectator cuts anywhere, magician names card, some cards set in center, estimation as out, Vernon's?!
 		1979 Quantum Leaps 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 CardMagic 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 Bob Hummer's Collected Secrets 28
Edward Marlo, Martin A. Nash Marlo Miracle Aces classic faro ace cutting ("estimation aces"), last ace found at named number
Inspired by 1980 Colors on the March 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 Fourcast 16
Joe Dignam ESTImateOn spectator thinks of a card and performer removes mate
 		1981 Spell-Binder (Vol. 1 No. 3) 40
Out of Possession Location visual estimation and stack with multiple out
Inspired by 1985 The Fred Braue Notebooks (Issue 1) 23
Harry Riser Estimation Help jogged corner short
 		1987 The Vernon Chronicles — Volume 1 7
John C. Wagner Estimation #1 spectator thinks of card in ribbon spread deck
 		1987 The Commercial Magic of J.C. Wagner 97
John C. Wagner The Wagnerian Miracle spectator cuts anywhere and remembers bottom card, performer names position, estimation
 		1987 The Commercial Magic of J.C. Wagner 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 Page Wright's Manuscript 287
Heart Beats estimating position of selection
 		1994 More Greater Magic 1215
John Northern Hilliard, Card Locations and Detection three methods, estimation
 		1994 More Greater Magic 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 Roger's Thesaurus 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 Wonderful Routines of Magic — The Second Addendum 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 Bound to Please 88
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 M.I.N.T. — Volume II 201
Dai Vernon The Cutting Edge estimation principle for estimating difference of two piles, always even
 		1996 Classic Sampler 80
Karl Fulves No Contact Location spectator cuts and remembers face card, dealt into four piles
Related to 1996 Blocking Off 79
Harry Riser The Instant Speller spelling to a selection from shuffled deck
 		1996 The Feints and Temps of Harry Riser 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 The Fred Braue Notebooks (Issue 8) 16
The Spread cards spread face-up on table, spectator thinks of one, performer estimates
 		1997 The Fred Braue Notebooks (Issue 8) 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
Al Koran Miracle Card Stab exact center
 		1998 Vis à Vis 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 Arcardia 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 Ellis Stanyon's Best Card Tricks 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 Collected Card Notes 81
Roger Crosthwaite One-Way Sequence Location selection made from and lost in table spread
  • First Method
  • Second Method
 		1999 Collected Card Notes 82
Roberto Giobbi Visual Estimation advice on practicing
 		2000 Card College — Volume 4 879
An Application
2000 Card College — Volume 4 879
Location Using Outs with a technical solution to replace fishing
 		2000 Card College — Volume 4 880
Roberto Giobbi Impossibility estimation
Related to 2000 Card College — Volume 4 889
Tom Gagnon Automatic Ace Cutting by dribbling, good poker hand is found
Inspired byVariations 2000 Semi-Automatic Card Tricks — Volume 3 35
Steve Beam Competition Cutting by dribbling, good poker hand is found
Inspired by 2000 Semi-Automatic Card Tricks — Volume 3 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 My Best Self-Working Card Tricks 58
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
Steven Youell The Off Center Shuffle getting a glimpsed selection to the top
 		2004 Weapons of Mass Destruction 58
Harry Riser Shuffle Estimation estimated seventeenth placement during overhand shuffle, a Three used to locate selection
Also published here
  • MUM, May 1990
 2006 Secrets of an Escamoteur 81
Harry Riser Orafitse "Esti-Faro", Three value finds selection
Also published here
  • MUM, Jan. 1996
 2006 Secrets of an Escamoteur 110
Dai Vernon The Weight Guesser Magician knows position of spectators card, estimation
Related toVariations 2007 Bruce Cervon's Castle Notebooks — Volume 1 45
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
 		2011 Maelstrom 148
Harry Lorayne 3-4-1 three piles, spectator moves his selected card from pile to pile, performer divines piles and names card
 		2011 Special Effects 95
Patrick Page Guesstimation spectator cuts a packet and remembers card, card is found, three variations
Variations 2011 Magic Page by Page 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 Seeking the Bridge 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 Seeking the Bridge 23
John Born, Jed B. Smith Slugged Memory demonstration for a game of poker, tracking a memorized slug
 		2012 Seeking the Bridge 91
Edward Marlo, Michael Close, Andrew Wimhurst, Patrick Lehnen Jive Aces with whole deck under box kicker
Inspired by 2013 Lecture Notes 11
Joseph Barry E-CAN fairly peeked-at card, at position named by spectator
 		2014 Reverie 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 Blomberg Laboratories 134
Pit Hartling, Denis Behr Memory Maven Variation method variation of Pit Hartling's effect
Inspired by 2017 Quarterly (Issue 5 (Winter 2017)) 28
Harry Lorayne Three Does It Three-spot as multiple out indicator card
 		2017 JawDroppers! Two 239
Johnny Thompson Expert Estimating the Aces
Inspired by 2018 The Magic of Johnny Thompson (Issue 1) 141
Harry Lorayne Stab-Two between two selections, deck wrapped in paper, estimation
Also published here 2018 And Finally! 53
Steve Forte estimation dead-cut, cutting off a packet from tabled deck with an Ace at its face
 		2020 Gambling Sleight Of Hand — Volume 2 758
Steve Forte Lift and Drop Aces one by one from different parts of the deck
 		2020 Gambling Sleight Of Hand — Volume 2 776
Edward Marlo Miracle Ace Routine last Ace found at named number
Also published here 2020 Magic for BLM 156
Larry Jennings LJ on Vernon’s Weight Guesser performer knows position of spectators's fingertip peeked card, estimation
Inspired byRelated to 2020 Mr. Jennings Takes It Easy 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 Freedom of Expression 103
Max Malini Malini's Location spectator peeks at a card in his own hands and it is found, estimation
Inspired by 2022 Max Malini 271