Mathematical

100 entries in Cards / Effect Themes / Divination & Mind Reading / Mathematical
Creators Title Comments & References Year Source Page AA Categories
Henri Decremps Tour des trois Bijoux rendu plus simple & plus merveilleux. three objects (jewelry, watch, cigarette case) are selected by three people and all get some playing cards which are added after some rules, performer divines who has which object
 		1785
Supplément A La Magie Blanche Dévoillée
235
Four Packets of Cards having been Formed face downwards on the Table, to discover the Total Value of the Undermost Cards
Related to 1876
Modern Magic
49
Any number of Packets of Cards having been formed face downwards on the Table, to discover the Total Value of the Undermost Cards. with formula for any number of cards
Related to 1890
More Magic
23
New Numerical Trick with Cards three heaps formed while performer is blindfolded according to some mathematical instructions, performer in the end know amount of cards in center pile
 		1890
More Magic
25
To name the Bottom Card of each of Three Heaps of Cards performer divines bottom cards of three piles by making up mathematical rules with other drawn cards
 		1890
More Magic
88
Ne Plus Ultra - First Method pile of cards removed, noted and placed on pack, after some dealing procedure, the performer divines the cards in face-down layout, also alternative with marked deck or stripper, "quadrating" (p. 50)
Also published here 1897
New Era Card Tricks
48
Ne Plus Ultra - Second Method pile of cards removed, noted and placed on pack, after some dealing procedure, spectator deals through cards and performer stops him at all selections
Also published here 1897
New Era Card Tricks
55
Das non plus ultra-Kunststück pile of cards removed, noted and placed on pack, after some dealing procedure, the performer divines the cards in face-down layout, translation by John Willmann
Related toAlso published here May 1900
Die Zauberwelt (Vol. 6 No. 5)
67
Das non plus ultra-Kunststück part two of translation, with marked and stripper deck variants
Related to June 1900
Die Zauberwelt (Vol. 6 No. 6)
83
Das Non plus ultra-Kunststück
  • Zweite Methode
pile of cards removed, noted and placed on pack, after some dealing procedure, spectator deals through cards and performer stops him at all selections
Also published here July 1900
Die Zauberwelt (Vol. 6 No. 7)
99
Robert Lenz Das Erraten der Zahl der Points mehrerer Karten piles made by counting up to fifteen from whatever value the first card of each pile is, sum of bottom cards of piles divined
 		July 1901
Die Zauberwelt (Vol. 7 No. 7)
102
Von drei Karten, welche drei verschiedene Personen gezogen haben, die zu nennen, welche eine jede gezogen hat three spectators do some calculation with their selections after which the performer know who has which card
 		Nov. 1902
Die Zauberwelt (Vol. 8 No. 11)
174
Friedrich "Fritz" Hügli Die magischen Radiokarten ring, watch and coin are taken by spectators along with playing cards, performer divines who has which object, mathematical
 		1927
Leichte Zauberei
142
Friedrich "Fritz" Hügli Erraten einer fehlenden Karte mit Hilfe der Quersumme numbers of a four digit number used, one card placed inside pocket and divined by performer
 		1930
Zauberkunststücke
84
A Psychic Card Feat after some calculations the spectator selects a card that the performer divines
 		1937
Encyclopedia of Card Tricks
186
A Matter of Debit and Credit "I have as many cards as you have, and enough....", magician twice divines correct number of cut off cards
Related toVariationsAlso published here 1938
Greater Magic
157
Oscar H. Paulson Bridge Mentalo freely selected card is found out after some calculation with its value and suit
 		1939
The Jinx (Issue Summer Extra 1939)
411
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
Jack Miller Count Ten! on from ten cards is divined, also possible over the phone
 		Nov. 1945
The Phoenix (Issue 96)
389
Charles Kalish Purely Mental card divination, without cards, mathematical divination
 		Mar. 1945
Hugard's Magic Monthly (Vol. 2 No. 10)
109
Warren Wiersbe Dual Decisions spectator's card is divined with two other cards (suit & value)
 		1946
Mental Cases With Cards
24
Russell "Rusduck" Duck 32 selection process with square layout
Variations July 1946
The Phoenix (Issue 109)
439
Bob Hummer Kilroy Gets Around message appears on card, mathematical procedure
Also published here 1947
3 Trix New Easy To Do
1
Telling a Chosen Card Divine value of playing card via mathematical method (multiply by three, add six, divide by three)
 		1949
Tricks and Stunts With Playing Cards
25
Miracle Spot Revelation Divine number of spots on card, very procedural and mathematical
 		1949
Tricks and Stunts With Playing Cards
36
John Scarne Double Duty No. 39, Spectator secretly transfers a number of cards (one to ten) to magician's packet, magician produces card with same value
 		1950
Scarne on Card Tricks
71
Jack Spalding The Card That Tells No. 43, Mathematical trick, divine how many cards spectator pocketed
 		1950
Scarne on Card Tricks
76
Jack Miller The Magic Number Trick No. 52, Mathematical card trick
 		1950
Scarne on Card Tricks
93
Audley Walsh Walsh's Long Distance Card Trick No. 67, Divine number of pocketed cards over phone
Also published here 1950
Scarne on Card Tricks
123
Bob Short The Puzzler No. 70, Mathematical Procedure, add up to twelve
 		1950
Scarne on Card Tricks
129
Harry Blackstone Cardology --or, A Card Trick Without Cards No. 118, magician divines thought-of card after spectator follows mathematical procedure and announces the result
 		1950
Scarne on Card Tricks
229
Eddie Joseph On the Square No. 143, magician divines number of face-up cards in spectator's pocket
 		1950
Scarne on Card Tricks
275
Bob Hummer Five Card Baffle one of five cards is divined, off-beat method
VariationsAlso published here 1952
The Last Word on Cards
57
W. F. "Rufus" Steele The Baffle Follow-Up one of five cards is divined
Inspired by 1952
The Last Word on Cards
58
John Snyder Numbers at Work card is divined by building the square root of two piles
 		1955
One More Thought on Cards
307
P. Howard Lyons, Tom Ransom, Norman Houghton Divination of Two Mentally Chosen Cards two selections made from two halves with "counting pile and remember card at that position" procedure
Inspired byVariations Nov. 1955
Ibidem (Issue 4)
5
Stewart James An Addition and a Teaser
Inspired byRelated to Nov. 1955
Ibidem (Issue 4)
6
Bob Hummer D-D-D Dial A Date Deal two rows of eight cards are dealt on the table, some face up and some face down, spectator selects a name on a sheet and turns cards over corresponding to the number next to the name, performer's back is turned and when he looks at cards name can be divined
Related to 1955 (ca.)
D-D-D
1
The Five Poker Hands Five spectators dealt five cards each, think of one, put back and re-dealt, divine all the selections
 		1956
Mathematics, Magic And Mystery
3
The Missing Card method to clock the deck to find missing card
Variations 1956
Mathematics, Magic And Mystery
10
Nate Leipzig Mathematics three cards are revealed with a mathematical calculation
 		1963
Dai Vernon's Tribute to Nate Leipzig
163
Bob Ostin The One-To-Ten Red and Black Mystery Ten cards from Ace to King are used, five red and five black cards. Spectator thinks of a number and adds a number from the cards, performer produces two cards which equal the total
 		1968
Fingertip Fantasies
73
Ken Beale, Russell "Rusduck" Duck, Marvin Johnson 32 Deal Duplicated selection process with square layout
Inspired by Spring 1970
Hierophant (Issue 3)
126
Dr. Leslie Albert Die-Duction card is counted to, number arrived at with dice
 		1972
Tarbell Course in Magic — Volume 7
86
Edward G. Brown The Two Pile Trick two selections made from two halves with "counting pile and remember card at that position" procedure
Related toVariationsAlso published here 1973
The Card Magic of Edward G. Brown
74
Edward Marlo, Gene Nielsen More on Coincidence
1974
The Unexpected Card Book
101
Alexander Past 1984 ... Beyond 2001 cards with ESP symbols are found, mathematical
 		1974
Magick (Issue 93)
461
Nick Trost Divining the Total of Three Bottom Cards Performer divines total number of bottom cards of three piles
 		1976
Subtle Card Magic — Part Two
18
Tan Hock Chuan Secret Sortilege Spectator places a random number of cards in their pocket, after some dealing and discarding, magician can tell how many cards are in their pocket
 		1977
The Magic of Tan Hock Chuan
14
Edward G. Brown Der Zweipäckchen Trick
Also published here Dec. 1978
Intermagic (Vol. 5 No. 4)
137
Christopher Morgan Computer Card Trick with introduction by Karl Fulves
computer program with which any selected card can be divined, program guesses color, suit, etc. correctly
VariationsAlso published here
  • "Computer Card Trick" (Christopher Morgan, On Computing, Fall 1979)
 1979
Interlocutor (Issue 34)
132
1. Soll und Haben "I have as many cards as you have, and enough....", magician twice divines correct number of cut off cards
Also published here 1979
Hokus Pokus (Vol. 40 No. 4)
119
Bob Hummer Hummer's 18 Card Mystery spectator takes eighteen cards and turns over the top two cards and cuts the pile, that step is repeated as often as he likes, then the performer takes the cards behind his back and divines the amount of reversed cards
Related toVariationsAlso published here 1980
Bob Hummer's Collected Secrets
7
Bob Hummer Five Card Baffle one of five cards is divined, off-beat method
Also published here 1980
Bob Hummer's Collected Secrets
12
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
U. F. Grant Grant's Hummer Trick some cards in hand and some in pocket, amount of both is divined
Related to 1980
Bob Hummer's Collected Secrets
29
Bob Hummer Dial a Date Deal two rows of eight cards are dealt on the table, some face up and some face down, spectator selects a name on a sheet and turns cards over corresponding to the number next to the name, performer's back is turned and when he looks at cards name can be divined
Related toVariations 1980
Bob Hummer's Collected Secrets
31
Bob Hummer Hummer Card Mystery several cards removed from deck, and some put in pocket, when performer gets balance of cards he knows how many cards are in pocket
 		1980
Bob Hummer's Collected Secrets
34
Bob Hummer Kilroy Gets Around message appears on card, mathematical procedure
Also published here 1980
Bob Hummer's Collected Secrets
36
Bob Hummer Stop - Thief!!! cards with license numbers on them, deck of playing cards used to divine the number
 		1980
Bob Hummer's Collected Secrets
37
Karl Fulves Shylock card divination over the phone, instruction game
Also published here 1980
Bob Hummer's Collected Secrets
67
Bob Hummer Voodoo Fortune Telling cards with questions on one side and different pictures of zombies on the other side, one question is selected and cards separated several times while checking different features of the zombies, eventually a four digit number is evaluated and leads to the answer of the question in a book, system is explained with playing cards
 		1980
Bob Hummer's Collected Secrets
73
Martin Gardner Hummer's Fortune Telling Book cards with questions on one side and different pictures of zombies on the other side, one question is selected and cards separated several times while checking different features of the zombies, eventually a four digit number is evaluated and leads to the answer of the question in a book
Related toVariations 1980
Bob Hummer's Collected Secrets
77
Bob Hummer Think a Word disc to select an spell any card, card is divined, back turned (1964)
 		1980
Bob Hummer's Collected Secrets
91
James E. Sansotera James E. Sansotera version of Hummer's Fortune Telling Book, without book method
Inspired by 1981
Bob Hummer's Collected Secrets
115
Howard A. Adams Matheight principle, Ace to Eight of a suit are used, mentally chosen card is found after three deals, then both piles have same total, removed card can be named
Inspired by 1981
OICUFESP (Issue 7 - Matheight Miracles)
1
Harry Canar, Karl Fulves Mental Amazement No. 28, two cards at two numbers counted to and removed, number added with values of the cards, both cards divined
 		1983
Self-Working Number Magic
47
Howard Wurst The Decoder Card Trick No. 34, numbers translated into letters to arrive at name of selection
 		1983
Self-Working Number Magic
56
Stephen Tucker Just a few wrinkles... Mathematical card trick, spectator arrives at three digit number, performer uses three digit number to divine three cut-to cards and also spectator's age
Inspired by 1984
The Card-Mad-gic of Stephen Tucker
7
Karl Fulves Red Magic No. 18, spectator places some red cards in his left and right jacket pockets, performer divines numbers
Also published here 1984
More Self-Working Card Tricks
26
Karl Fulves Shylock's Card No. 27, one of three Kings selected and divined over phone
Inspired byAlso published here 1984
More Self-Working Card Tricks
37
Allen Swift Take Away spectator takes three cards, adds values and subtracts anyone again, performer names total
Related to July 1987
Magick (Issue 392)
1958
Charles T. Jordan Chief Card Trick
Related to Aug. 1992
Magic (Vol. 1 No. 12)
49
Grace Ann Morgan The Perfect Stopper spectator deals card on table and can stop anywhere, performer knows / names card
Variations 1994
The Trapdoor — Volume Three (Issue 51)
940
Karl Fulves Think of a Card No. 3, spectator takes any card and does calculations with its identity from which performer divines it
 		1995
Easy Magic
3
Bob Farmer Debit and Credit: Part II
  • Flim-Flam
more on this principle, versions and credits with comments
  • A Matter Of Debit And Credit (Greater Magic)
  • Dollars And (Sixth) Sense (Stewart James)
Related to Feb. 1995
Magic (Vol. 4 No. 6)
66
Nick Trost M-U-M Miracle
Inspired by
  • "Thought-O-Card" (G. P. Appaduri, M-U-M, March 1971)
 1997
The Card Magic of Nick Trost
132
Ellis Stanyon To Discover Value of Two Cards Drawn from the Pack of Fifty-two, Without Seeing Any Cards No. 27, mathematical calculation with two values
 		1999
Ellis Stanyon's Best Card Tricks
73
Ellis Stanyon An Arithmetical Mystery No. 32, two piles made, spectator does some calculation with the amount in each pile and then performer names the amounts
 		1999
Ellis Stanyon's Best Card Tricks
74
Ellis Stanyon To Discover the Respective Holders of Three Cards or Objects No. 33, similar to reference
Related to 1999
Ellis Stanyon's Best Card Tricks
75
Ralph W. Hull, Roberto Giobbi Miraculous Coincidence magician twice divines correct number of cut off cards
Inspired by
  • "Still Simpler" (R. W. Hull, Sandu Writes Again, 1934, Paul Stadelman)
 2000
Card College — Volume 4
891
Reinhard Müller Divination Three by Four object laid out in a matrix, one is selected and divined
Related to
  • Reinhard Müller's "3x3 Square Divination" in "Precursor" LXIII, 1998.
 2002
Semi-Automatic Card Tricks — Volume 4
102
Karl Fulves Dial-A-Die riffle shuffle, twelve cards dealt on table, number of cards according to rolled die transferred, down-under-deal done, ... eventually number on die revealed
Related to 2004
When Psychics Play Poker
56
Sam Schwartz, Karl Fulves Remains To Be Seen spectator cuts off some cards, remembers bottom card and puts pile in card case, after some calculation instructions the performer knows card and number of cards in case, Kraitchik
Related to 2004
Latter Day Secrets (Issue 9)
363
Peter Duffie The Bible Code eight tarot cards, using phone number from an address book some arrangements are done to find selection
Inspired by 2004
Subtle Miracles
112
Peter Duffie A Lessen in Dishonesty card pocketed from eighteen-card packet, all but two cards eliminated which have the same suit/value combination as pocketed card
Inspired by
  • "Down Under Deal with Multiple Cards" (Hideo Kato, Precursor #79)
 2005
Card Secrets Unlocked
8
George McBride Captives of the Cranium one half is cut and two cards are added to get a number, other half is cut and top card pocketed, using the number one counts down to get the same value, another count with the added digits gets a card of the same suit
Inspired by
  • "Captives of the Brain" (Stewart James, James File Vol. 2, p. 2536)
 2005
Scotland Up Close
29
George McBride Stebbins Prediction business card slid into spread, cards above and below are taken out, small packet cut off and counted, spectator remembers card at its position, original two removed cards have same value and suit, position of selection predicted on business card, faro, Penelope
 		2005
Scotland Up Close
31
Tom Craven Selected Suit Divination suit chosen, cards put in pockets of spectator and on packet handed to performer who is then able to announce how many cards of named suit are inside the pile
Related to 2006
Semi-Automatic Card Tricks — Volume 6
63
Roberto Giobbi, Bob Hummer Fingertip Sensitivity twelve cards are mixed face up and face down, performer holds packet under table and knows how many cards are reversed and they turn out to be from same color, repeated with selection, all cards end up reversed but selection
Inspired by 2006
Card College Light
43
Roberto Giobbi, Ralph W. Hull Magical Match "I have as many cards as you have, and enough....", magician twice divines correct number of cut off cards
Also published here 2006
Card College Light
81
Stewart James Double Boomerang Two cards chosen, one is divined by magician, one is found in a sealed envelope. Cards are chosen via mathematical procedure
Related to
  • New Tops, Dec 1964
 2007
The Essential Stewart James
150
John Carney Spirit Whitsle whistle on string starts to make sounds, card is revealed
 		2011
Mr. Mysto's Wizard Academy
73
Tony Chang Queens Gambit removed card is "divined" by analyzing four indifferent cards twice, then four of a kind transformation climax
 		2013
I Was Kidnapped
17
Michael Murray, Stephen Shaw Once Removed deck is divided into three piles, spectator removes a card and its mate, two cards are divined, two different stacks explained
 		2014
A Piece Of My Mind
242
Steve Beam 3726 Four people think of a value and then a suit. The magician names each of them.
Related to 2015
Semi-Automatic Card Tricks — Volume 10
162
Steve Beam 3726 for Couples Two people think of a value and then a suit to form two cards. The magician names both playing cards.
Related to 2015
Semi-Automatic Card Tricks — Volume 10
168
Steve Beam Scorecard V mathematical Revelation of a randomly generated number
Inspired by
  • Coincidence (George G. Kaplan, The Linking Ring, Feb. 1951)
Related to 		2015
Semi-Automatic Card Tricks — Volume 9
145
Marty Kane An Odyssey of an Odd Aussie Revelation of a selected card.
 		2015
Semi-Automatic Card Tricks — Volume 9
183
Carlos Santillan Barely Thought-of Card Miracle Divine thought of card in a packet of eight cards by asking "yes" or "no" questions about whether their card is in one pile or not
Inspired by
  • "Merely Thought-of Card Miracle" (Paul Gordon, Aldo Colombini's Self Working Packet Tricks DVD)
 2015
The Saturday Morning Session
17