The Couple Connection
by Ryon S. Cupidore

Effect: The magician asks if there are any newlywed couples in the audience, or any new boyfriend/girlfriend couples. He chooses one and they come up to assist him. He takes a deck of cards and shows it to be normal and shuffled. He gives the deck to the woman and has her choose any one and use a marker to write anything on its face. He then has her replace it in the deck and shuffles the deck a few times before putting it down on the table and turning to the man.

He has him cut the deck once and place the two parts next to each other. The magician points out a pile for him and has him cut it again, while the magician does the same with the other pile, leaving four piles on the table. He asks the man to repeat how many months the couple has been together and the months are counted along with the piles. The man is asked to take the top card from that pile, keep it facedown, and write anything on its back. He then replaces it in the deck and the magician shuffles the deck a few more times.

He places the deck down on the table and asks the woman for a finger ring and the man for a handkerchief. The deck is covered with the handkerchief and the ring placed on top. The magician looks at the couple and says that he thinks they are a good match and that they should both focus on their love for each other.He has the woman lift up the ring and the man lift up the handkerchief. On the back of the top card is the man's writing. He has the man take it, still facedown and put his hand on top of it.

The magician then says that the connection between the couple is strong. It was too strong for him to find the woman's card and he is very sorry but if she would go through the deck and find it for him. She cannot find it. The magician points out that the only card missing is the one under the man's hand. He has the man lift his hand and the woman turn over the card to reveal her handwriting on the same card.

Secret: This one is a bit tricky and requires some smooth moves to pull it off, but the misdirection with the couple should be more than enough to distract the audience.

The trick begins when you select the couple. You need one that ideally has been together for three months, so ask all couples how long they have been together and choose your favourite. If there are none for three months, then two months, five months, or six months in that order of preference. The woman has a totally free selection. While she is writing on the face, take the rest of the deck and hold it. You need her card on top, so control it by any means you're comfortable with. I obtain a break and quickly cut and riffle shuffle to get it on top. Do a few false shuffles but retain her card on top.

Place the deck in front of the man and have him cut it and rest the cut portion next to the original stack. Remember which stack contains the top card. You will choose that stack. Point to the other stack, telling him that he has not touched that stack and have him cut it while you cut the other one. Cut the deck so that the stack with the top card is third in a row of four. Ask them again how long they have been together and start counting the piles. This is how you count.

- Two months - fourth stack, third stack
- Three months - first, second, third
- Five months - first, second, third, fourth, third
- Six months - first, second, third, fourth, fourth, third

You always must end up on the third stack. Count "One, two, etc" not "first stack, second stack, etc". Have the man write on the back and replace it in the deck. Again, I obtain a break but this time you want the card to be second from the top, as you don't want the writing to show. Another few false shuffles keeping the top two cards in place, and rest the deck down on the table. Ask the man for a handkerchief if he has one. If he does not, borrow one from another audience member. The cards must not be seen through the handkerchief, so any translucency can be taken care of by adding your own handkerchief if necessary.

Drape it over the cards, but "accidentally" have a fold underneath. As you put your hand underneath to fix the fold, slide the top card off and leave it next to the deck on the table, the handkerchief should still cover both the deck and the card. Make no reference to this "accident" but make the audience think all you are doing is draping the handkerchief properly. Borrow a ring from the woman and place it on top of the deck. Point out that the deck is still under there, and hold it through the cloth and lift it slightly to show that. Don't lift too much or else you will lose the cover of the handkerchief. Put it back down halfway on top of the card you slid off earlier. Square the deck through the cloth and tell the couple to focus on their love for each other. Give this part some time, as it takes everyone's minds off of the deck. Be creative, have them kiss or look into each other's eyes...anything romantic would work.

Have the woman take her ring off of the deck and the man take the handkerchief off. He will see his writing on the top card. Have him take that card and put his hand on top of it. Tell them that they seem to be made for each other, because something out of the ordinary has happened. Normally he would now find the woman's card but he cannot. Ask her to go through the deck and find it. It will not be there. The only card missing is the one the man has. Have him lift his hand, turn it over...and you can receive your applause.

Comments: Focus on the trick, but the couple is pretty much the misdirection here. Get their names, congratulate them on finding each other (Important: Don't let them feel like a prop!), throw in a few jokes here and there. Get them to really try to connect with each other. You can do the reveal however you want, but I find that this way makes things more memorable for both the couple and the crowd.

This was the trick I learned how to obtain a pinky fingernail break for. It's good practice, because you need to do it twice and the second time you need to get the break one card up from where the original card was replaced.

If you can't find a couple who have been together for the times I listed, it may be uncomfortable after you asked for couples, but surely if you're performing in front of a crowd you must know several impromptu tricks that require volunteers. Have the man do one and the woman do one. Or borrow something each from them. With this trick, make sure you have a backup plan, just in case. That may be more important than the actual trick.

Ryon S. Cupidore