Card tricks requiring memorization/calculation skills?

Nov 10, 2017
15
3
So anyone knows card tricks which require quick calculations or memorization for performing? I kind of want to practice mind skills rather than only sleight of hand... Where can I find some source on those kinds of tricks?
 
Sep 26, 2015
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The faro shuffle is a mathematical application to card tricks. I know there is a chapter in Ed Marlo's "Revolutionary Card Technique" that explains the faro shuffle. With the faro shuffle, you can either start with a set up deck (which makes it a little bit easier) or, depending on the trick, you can start with a shuffled deck. Can't remember off the top of my head how the math is explained though. The math itself isn't hard once you practice, but when first learning it, it can be a little confusing.
 
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DavidL11229

Elite Member
Jul 25, 2015
589
314
Seattle
What kind of things do you have in mind?

As above, you can learn a deck stack. Mnemonica will be reprinted, or learn another while you wait. Si Stebbins is a thought of you want something that uses calculation while you wait to memorize Mnemonica.

Get a memory book and learn great feats of memory. Learn to memorize a shuffled deck on the fly (look for Memory Palace), the world record is around 25 seconds last time I checked. If you like the idea of tracking faros, expert card technique has charts etc., but that's just the tip of the iceberg. In addition to Marlo mentioned above see The Collected works of Alex Elmsley Vol. 2. If you are into math look into anything by Persi Diaconis including his mathematical journal papers on shuffling (wicked grin) and check out his "Magical Mathematics" for inspiration.

If you really want to use memorization and calculation then do what I did, learn Mnemonica and culling. I can secretly put a shuffled deck into Mnemonica order with 6 culls. You will however need to work this into a full routine with tricks in between, or incorporating, the culls to prevent the spectators from wandering (or dozing) off. By itself it takes a few minutes. Take this route only if it sounds like fun, your time would certainly be more efficiently spent learning other things. But if you want memorization and calculation there's plenty to be had here.

It sounds like you might like a memory book. Other than deck stacks much of the magic literature will just teach you how to fake feats of memory. You may enjoy learning the real thing. There are many books, I have not found one that seems best. Harry Lorayne has several, but there are others.

Let us know what you'd like to learn and we'll try point you in the right direction.
 
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Aug 15, 2017
651
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So anyone knows card tricks which require quick calculations or memorization for performing? I kind of want to practice mind skills rather than only sleight of hand... Where can I find some source on those kinds of tricks?
First of all, I'd like to applaud you. Nice thoughts! Specially because there's so much on stress on sleights by some magicians sometimes that the actual mental stuff lies forgotten.
What @Maaz Hasan said is the best way to begin. Because unless you begin, you can't do anything.
What @ChristopherT said is the best way to go further.
But yes, Si Stebbins is a great place to start, with little memorization. Also, this stack is quite underestimated. Get the pdf and you'll see it has more uses than just knowing what card someone took.
 
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Feb 4, 2018
2
2
So anyone knows card tricks which require quick calculations or memorization for performing? I kind of want to practice mind skills rather than only sleight of hand... Where can I find some source on those kinds of tricks?
check two books - 1 her majesty the magic of cards , 2 fascinating gambling from the world of imagination by benedykt krajdener
from lybrary.com
 
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Feb 4, 2018
2
2
if you will understand and take practice material from those two books you will have the most powerful weapon in card magic
ever created
in near future there will be the third book with collection of card magic hard to beat
 
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