Seeing Black
by Werner Miller

Werner Miller is a retired teacher of mathematics, whose hobbies are recreational mathematics and magic. A magical inventor and writer, Werner has produced a prolific volume of work, mostly what he calls “semi-automatic” card tricks based on mathematical principles. He is the author of "Fast von selbst", "Alles Miller oder was", "Ratatouille", more than 300 trick contributions to various magazines and web sites and more than 30 related computer programs. In addition, Werner is also a staff member of the German magazine "Magische Welt", a columnist for the British magazine "The Magician", and regular contributor here at Visions. Werner's first English-language book, Ear-Marked, is available here.

This trick derives from Stewart James' "Seeing Red" (Stewart James In
Print: The First Fifty Years, Toronto 1989, pp. 968-970). I think it's an improvement.

Effect:
From a packet of nine cards a spectator selects the only two strangers.

Preparation:
You need seven black spot cards (ace through seven of the same suit in ascending order) and a red king with matching queen, e.g. AC - 2C - 3C - 4C - 5C - 6C - 7C - KH - QH (ace at the face, queen on top). You may stack this packet in front of the spectators, but do not expose the faces of the cards.

Presentation:
Hand the face-down packet to a spectator for cutting (any number of complete cuts).

Ask the spectator to turn the top card face up. Let's assume this card is a spot card. Call attention to its value. Instruct the spectator to place the card face down back on top and to transfer that many cards singly from the top to the bottom of the packet. Then guide the spectator verbally through the motions of an Australian (Down/Under) Deal, i.e. have the top card dealt onto the table, the next card shifted to the bottom of the packet, the next one dealt onto the table, the next one shifted to the bottom and so on until only one card remains. Call this card "selection number one" and have it placed separately on the table, still face down. Request the spectator to pick up the remainder of the packet (eight cards), and to repeat the mixing. The last card ("selection number two") is placed face down besides the
first tabled card. The selections are turned face up -- a red king with matching queen. Climax: Spread the remaining cards face up -- no other court cards, no other red cards, seven black spot cards of different values.

Now for the case the spectator cuts by chance to one of the court cards (and here comes my improvement into play). Have this card removed and placed face up on the table ("selection number one"). Request the spectator to mix the remaining cards to select another card, but -- unknown to the spectator -- the method of mixing you propose depends on the identity of the tabled card: If the first selection was the queen, let the spectator carry out an Under/Down Deal, if the first selection was the king, give instructions for executing a Down/Under Deal. The specific mixing will lead automatically to the other court card as "selection number two", thus completing the couple. Continue as already described.

Have fun!

Werner Miller