The Extended Tossed Out

Deck

✤

L U K E J E R M A Y

PUBLISHED BY LUKE JERMAY

No part of this publication may be stored, reproduced, copied or transmitted without the prior written

consent from both the author and publisher. TV performance rights withheld. Conflicting live

performance rights reserved.

INTRODUCTION:

The Tossed Out Deck is an extremely popular and possibly the best neo-classical plot in

Mentalism. Over the last 15 years, this effect has made it’s way into the performance

repertoire of many mentalists and magicians the world over, thus seeing a huge surge in

popularity in the Mentalism and Magic community, likely due to the number of high

profile performers detailing personalized versions of the effect such as Max Maven, Ted

Lesley, and Docc Hilford.

I, myself, have used the Tossed Out Deck effect to open many stand-up performances,

and feel it is genuinely one of the best opening routines for a performance. It packs a

punch, is self-contained and establishes quickly the performer’s ability to read minds.

Yet, despite all the greatness of the Tossed Out Deck, over the last few years, after

developing several versions utilizing the core principle, most notably my effect Touching

On Hoy, first published in The Coral Fang and further explored in my book 3510, I have

discovered many problems.

Due to a large number of “speakers” featuring a demonstration of the effect later

followed by an explanation of it under the guise of logic problems and lateral thinking

puzzles, the most common problem with the Tossed Out Deck is that many corporate

audiences actually know the method! David Ben has even published the method in his

book Advantage Play, which is geared toward the general public. So, the use of the

effect in the corporate market has become more and more commonplace by speakers

overexposing it in the corporate world.

I know that this is nothing more than a phase and the fashion will pass. However, for the

moment, the truth is that we have to accept it. Just like the 80’s and the mullet, “If you’re

not part of the solution, you’re Billy Ray Cyrus.”

A second problem I have noticed is many spectators will feel as if something is simply

not fair if they are not shown the deck at some point in the sequence. So in this extended

version, I wanted to be in a position to display the deck casually showing the cards to be

different without making a big deal of the deck. I neatly wrap this problem up with the

mental selection of cards from a spread deck.

Yet another problem I encountered with the effect involves multiple performances. I do

not wish to constantly have the same cards as the “thought of cards” showing up in my

routine. This is not the biggest issue for most performers, however for some, like me, it

is desirable to have the revealed cards change with each performance. Interestingly, I

have achieved this with 7 of the 8 “thought of cards” changing in each performance.

With this in mind let us move onto how the effect looks to your audience.

EFFECT:

A deck of cards is shown to be different and given a quick mix by the performer. The

performer then spreads the deck between his hands and has two people think of cards

they see from the spread. The deck is the squared and riffled by the performer with his

head turned away the entire time asking a spectator to call stop. The spectator is asked to

remember this card. The deck is neatly squared all while the performer is facing away.

This is repeated with another spectator who also remembers the card stopped on.

The performer now removes the rubber bands and wraps them around the deck. The deck

is thrown to four spectators in the audience who are asked to peek at cards.

The performer slowly reveals the cards starting with the two spectators who thought of

cards from the spread deck by receiving impressions of the color, suit and value of each

card until eventually naming the correct ones. Moving onto the next spectators, the

performer has them stand. Without asking them a single question, he accurately reveals

the names of the cards they are thinking of. He then has the remaining four spectators

stand and after a brief moment of concentration the performer excitedly names four

separate cards.

Dramatically the performer calls the name of four cards asking each person to sit if he

correctly named their card. All four spectators sit. The deck is then given to a spectator

as a gift.

NOTES:

In detailing the method for this extended version of the classic Tossed Out Deck I will

break down each phase of the routine.

The first phase is a selection of two cards by two spectators from the spread deck. The

second phase is the riffle selection process repeated with two spectators. The final phase

is the tossing of the deck into the audience for four people to peek at cards while the deck

is wrapped in rubber band.

However before we go into this we must first look at the construction of the deck used to

do this effect.

REQUIRED:

To create the deck needed for the sequence you will need to collect the following items:

1. An ordinary deck of playing cards.

2. A one-way deck, which is a pack of 52 cards consisting of 52 duplicates on one

card. This duplicated card will be referred to from now on as the TOD card.

3. Super Glue.

4. Craft Knife.

5. Rubber Bands.

6. A Black Sharpie Marker.

I make use of Bicycle brand playing cards when performing in the U.S.A and when

performing in my native England I use Waddington’s brand playing cards. I use different

brands to ensue that the audience recognize of the deck. I would recommend using

whatever brand of cards is the most popular in the country you are performing in. When

you are finished you will end with a perfectly normal looking deck as shown in

illustration 1.

CONSTRUCTING THE DECK:

Begin by taking 26 of the standard cards and trimming them on their short edges slightly.

This will leave you with 26 “short” cards. It is worth mentioning that International

Magic in London, England now offer a deck of professionally printed and cut short cards

made by the United States Playing Card Company in the Bicycle brand. I used such a

deck when constructing the complete deck as it offers a better-finished product.

However, trimming the cards manually will work.

You can also take the cards to a printer and have them cut the deck slightly shorter as

they would the pages of a book when finishing the edges. Whatever method you chose,

you will need to create 26 short cards.

After they are cut, glue them on to the face of your TOD card. You should glue the pairs

by applying the glue to the lower end of the face card then placing each card into your

hand squaring the edges in a ‘box grip’ to ensure all edges line up correctly. Glance at

illustrations 2 to clarify this process.

When a pair of cards has been glued together let them dry for an hour or more before use.

Notice that due to the long and short nature of the cards you are able to, with the paired

card(s) held face down; open the glued pair exposing the face of the upper card of the

pair. The upper card is of course your force card for the final Tossed Out Deck climax.

You will end with a deck consisting of 26 pairs of cards glued on their lower short edge.

The face card of these pairs will be a short indifferent card. The upper card of the pair

will be a standard length force card. When the deck is squared it will appear to be a

standard deck of 52 cards.

If you hold the deck face up in your hands and spread them you will see the deck appears

to be made up from random cards. The force card (the upper card of the glued pairs) is of

course hidden by the face card of the glued pairs. This allows the deck to be spread in the

hands.

Take the deck and shuffle it well ensuring that the deck appears to be well mixed and no

obvious connections exist in the deck. If you notice any seeming connections between

cards simply shuffle until the deck does indeed look well mixed.

With the deck mixed, spread through it and remove the following six cards:

2H, 4S, 5D, 7C, KD, 8H

Place these glued pairs on the top of the face down deck. These six cards will act as a

streamlined Walsh style pumping system used in the first phase of the effect.

Finally take the deck and deal the top six cards to a face up pile on the table in front of

you (the cards used in the Walsh style pump as listed above).

Take the seventh card and on its back write the name of the sixth card in the upper right

corner of the lower short edge that the pairs of cards are glued along. It is very important

that the cards are written on the same edge the pairs of cards are glued along. See

illustration 3 on the next page to see exactly where the writing is placed on the back of

the card in relation to the glued area.

You will write the name of the card below on the back of each card. On the back of the

card in the deck will be the name of the 7

card. On the back of the 15

card in the

deck will be the name of the 14

card. On the back of the 12

card in the deck will be

the name of the 11

card. This is the situation with the entire deck.

It is worth noting that the writing on the cards is of course the names of the face cards of

the pairs and obviously not the name of your TOD Card.

What you have in your hands right now is a combination of the Walsh, Magician’s

Dream forcing deck, Franklin Taylor’s Peek Deck and the Tele-matic Deck to use as a

Tossed Out Deck. This combination of methods create a very strong and extremely free

handling.

In the first phase, the deck is spread between the hands and shown to be different. The

second phase allows the performer to have cards thought of without looking at the deck,

due to my handling of The Franklin Taylor Peek Deck and the final phase of the routine

allows the deck to be out of the hands of the performer. Each of these principles when

combined also serve as excellent cancellations for one another.

As a final note I have chosen to make use of a blue backed deck to further obscure the

nature of the peek method used in phase 2 of the sequence. However it might be easier to

begin using a red backed design as the black sharpie you use to write the names of the

cards will stand out more. In the illustration 3, I have chosen to use red backed cards

simply for the additional clarity they afford the reader. A finished deck should look like

the deck in illustration 1.

HANDELING THE DECK:

The deck allows for a free handling. All that need be remembered when being handled is

that in order to obscure the writing on the backs of the cards, ensure that the short edges

of the deck are pointing toward your body/floor. This will guarantee that the writing is

hidden as the deck is spread in the hands, or on a table top of even fanned.

In order to display the deck as being made up of different cards turn the deck over in your

hands like the pages of a book and spread the cards. This is very simple and really there

is nothing here to worry about in the effect. Simply handle the deck as if it were a normal

deck with a casual attitude.

In my own performance I give the cards a “quick mix” as I introduce the effect. I make

use of a simple, in the hands, full deck false shuffle to accomplish this.

It is of course pivotal that the deck remains in its order for the second phase of the

routine. If the cards were to become genuinely mixed the writing in the corners of the

cards would bear no relation to the card above.

I will leave the selection of a casual false shuffle to the reader. However for the sake of

completeness let me briefly detail the shuffle I make use of:

Beginning with the deck in an overhand shuffle position chop a block of around 15 to 20

cards. Run 6 cards singly onto this block. Throw a further block of cards in-jogged and

the last block out-jogged.

Square the deck in your right hand using the in and out jogs to form two breaks at these

points. Throw the blocks separated by the breaks onto one another, then run 6 cards

singly onto of these blocks. Finally throw the remaining cards on top.

THE ELEMENTS:

It should be remembered that these casual mixes are performed with the faces of the

cards toward the audience. This serves to flash the faces as being different and most

importantly hides the written marks on the backs of the cards.

In order to fully understand the workings of this routine you will need to fully understand

how each phase relates to one another. It is very important that you are completely

comfortable with each of the phases in and of themselves. And due to the importance of

understanding each phase, we will deal with the detail of the routine by breaking it down

into each phase.

Phase One – The Walsh Top Stock

It is thought that English magic dealer Edward Bagshawe first introduced The Bagshawe

Deck in 1924, which was made of duplicate banks of cards arranged in rotation.

Then in 1938 some thirteen years later, Audley Walsh introduced his version of the deck

to the magic community in the form of The Magician’s Dream published in The Jinx

Magazine. With Walsh’s version came the addition of a pumping system to pin point the

card thought of. This effect was in later years marketed as The Magician’s Dream Deck.

Many other variations of the Bagshawe principle have seen print. Phantini is credited

with reducing the number of cards used in the Bagshawe Deck from 12 to 10 and

marketing his version in the 1950s as the Mental Deck.

Also, in 1956 Cordina, legendary author of the 13 Steps To Mentalism marketed Al

Koran’s version of the Bagshawe Deck, the Koran Deck. To this day the name has stuck

and, most often when a magician talks about a deck of this nature, he will call it a Koran

Deck and not the Bagshawe Deck.

I have chosen to use the Walsh Top Stock name, as I am not making use of the duplicate

banks of cards as featured in the Bagshawe Deck, Koran Deck and Mental Deck.

However we will make use of a pumping system to ascertain the name of the thought of

card.

I have also chosen to reduce the number of cards used in the top stock to only 6. This

allows for a very quick pumping system. This is something I would not recommend if

one were performing a standard Bagshawe Deck sequence, however within the context of

the Extended Tossed Out Deck this reduction is fine due to the building fairness of the

routine, limiting the selection field at the outset will become misremembered by your

audience.

To use this top stock, spread the top six cards in front of the eyes of two spectators. Have

them each think of a playing card. The cards are spread as in illustration 4. Orientated to

ensure the writing on the backs of the cards remains hidden.

I ask that the spectator to the right think of a red card and the spectator to the left think of

a black card. This I explain:

“Is to ensure that you do not both think of the same card.”

You will remember that the top stock of 6 cards are made up of the following cards:

2H, 4S, 5D, 7C, KD, 8H

This leads us to a situation in which spectator thinking of a black card can only have

either the 4S or the 7C in mind.

To pin point which of these cards the spectator is thinking of I use the following ruse:

“I want you to repeat the name of the card you are thinking of over and over again in

your mind. For instance, 7C, 7C, 7C….”

At this point I watch for a reaction. If the spectator reacts I continue:

“The 7C correct?”

If not I continue:

“Great, keep repeating the name of your card in your mind for me.”

I then pause for a few moments and name the 4S as the mental selection.

To reveal the red card I use the following ruse:

“I am going to count from ace to king. Please do not give anything away with your

expression. A, 2, 3, 4, 5.”

At this point I pause and repeat:

“A, 2, 3, 4, 5. You have heard your card correct?”

If the spectator confirms this I know that the card they are thinking of is either the 2H or

the 5D. If not I know it is either the 8H or the KD.

I now guess a suit. There is nothing more than a guess at this point, hearts or diamonds.

The spectator’s response will now lead you to the exact card being thought of.

Many options exist for the performer to pump for the selection. I am sure you will have

your own personal ruses for such methods. However, I would like to recommend careful

attention to your spectator as you perform this. Often a spectator’s non-verbal reactions

will offer you the affirmation you need to pin point the card. When you receive this non-

verbal reaction cut the spectator off not allowing them to answer and continue on with

your revelation. This is a smart way of handling this type of jumping. The addition of

some “negative cast statements” such as:

“Your not thinking of a heart, are you?”

Will allow a seamless and subtle pumping process that will lead you swiftly to the card

thought of.

I recommend you study Jas Jachutsch’s work on this type of material. You can find some

of his excellent thinking in Volumes One and Three of his manuscripts Jas Jachutsch –

Completely Mental. As this manuscript is not dedicated to such systems I will not go into

further detail however those wishing to further their knowledge of such methods would

be well rewarded in tracking a copy of them.

Phase Two – The Peek Deck

The Franklin Taylor Peek Deck, one of the most underused and underrated methods in

Mentalism and magic, was first published on December 25

1942, in The Phoenix

Magazine, and as I see it, most modern book tests owe a huge amount to Taylor’s deck.

Essentially all that has happened with many of them is replacing the deck for a book.

The core principle has remained unchanged yet rarely and unfortunately are the deck and

Taylor mentioned alongside these book tests.

The only references I can offer outside of the original Taylor Peek Deck printed in The

Phoenix Magazine are Ken Krenzil and his insightful treatment of the deck in his book

Ingenuities, published by Stephen Minch; the chapter “Peek Decks” showcases Ken in

his classic style with concise and clever ideas on the peek concept; and in Lee Earle and

Larry Becker’s Devil’s Deck, using subtle markings in place of the bold sharpie marker I

have opted to make use of. (For a stage sequence I much prefer the use of the marker

however I felt it worthy of mention as you may prefer to use marking material in place of

the sharpie marker).

To use The Peek Deck, begin with the deck in your left hand, held as in illustration 8.

Turn your head away and begin riffling the cards with your right index finger. Ask a

spectator to call stop, and at this point stop and break open the deck allowing the face of

the card stopped at to be exposed to the spectator.

Still looking away request the spectator remembers the name of the card they have just

seen.

I now make use of a subtle glimpse. I ask the spectator:

“Are you happy with this one?”

At the moment I ask this, I turn my head back to make eye contact with the spectator. In

this split second I have caught a glimpse of the writing facing me, telling me the name of

the card the spectator is looking at. The instant I have glimpsed the card, I allow the deck

to snap shut. If the spectator wishes to change his mind repeat this process, however do

not offer another chance. Instead turn to the spectator locking eye contact with them and

instruct:

“Please do not forget the card.”

This peek is obviously a minor alteration on the Blackboard Peek used by Annemann.,

who’s psychology was great then and just as good today. I use it in many different

forms. Not offering a second chance for the spectator to change their card prevents you

from entering into a situation in which the spectator is able to constantly change their

mind and hold the performance hostage.

Repeat this sequence with a second spectator and ensure you remember both cards

peeked. Illustrations 5 and 6 above show the audience view and exposed view of this

peek.

Have the spectators think about their cards and without asking a question reveal the cards

thought of.

The first and second phase of the routine play very well together, since instantly moving

onward to a reveal of two cards with no questions asked after using a pumping system

serves to cancel each method out in the minds of the spectators.

Phase Three – The Tossed Out Deck Climax

The Tossed Out Deck has become a neo-classic in Mentalism. Without a doubt the most

popular creation from David Hoy published in his classic work, The Bold and Subtle

Miracles of Dr. Faust. And since it’s introduction, it has spawned countless variations of

the Tossed Out Deck, and sadly due to its popularity, many of the other routines

contained in this wonderful little booklet get over looked. Hoy’s Tossed Out Deck effect

is in my mind the ultimate in hands-free Mentalism with playing cards.

Due to the nature of our deck constructed all that you need do to turn it into a Tossed Out

Deck is simply wrap rubber band around the unglued edges, forcing your spectator to

peek a card at the open end of the deck, which will of course cause your spectator to see

the TOD card. The writing remains hidden held together by the rubber bands.

The key to performing this sequence is to ensure that you are in control of your spectators

at all times and that they follow your instructions. It is important that they open the deck

with it held face down in their hand or they will not open to the TOD Card.

I will later cover my exact scripting to showcase exactly how I handle this situation. As

well as introducing some further linguistic deception that when combined with the

Tossed Out Deck make for a powerful deception.

Repeat the peeking process with as many spectators as you see fit. Lets assume four as in

my sequence. To reveal the cards simply state the name of three indifferent cards and the

name of the TOD Card.

Ask each person to:

“Sit if you have heard your card.”

Of course all four people will sit indicating that the performer had indeed correctly read

the minds of all four spectators.

Optional Climax – Pre-Show “challenge” Revelations

I have at times used an optional final phase. After I have performed the Tossed Out Deck

I would say something along the lines of:

“Any questions?”

This small joke would garner a laugh and I would suddenly ‘notice’ a question. I would

then say:

“Sir you are thinking of a card also?”

The spectator would confirm that indeed they were also thinking of a card. I would then

remove the deck with the rubber bands on it from my pocket and continue:

“Did you see a card or just think of one?”

The spectator would explain that he just thought of one. I would then hand the banded

deck to a spectator on the front row as a gift and continue by having the spectator stand

and focus on his card. I would then name his card and have him confirm I was indeed

correct.

To create this additional climax I made use of some pre-show work. Before the show

began I would have someone think of a card and write it down on a billet. I would then

tear this billet up and instruct them to repeat the name of their card over and over in their

mind.

I would of course know the name of the card using a center tear method and later in the

show would point to this person and ask if he had a card in mind.

I would then reach into my pocket and remove the deck still in rubber bands. This deck

however would be a normal deck wrapped in rubber bands with the face card matching

the Extended Tossed Out Deck which was handed to a spectator as a gift. This switch

would take case, as I would ask if the spectator had:

“Seen a card or just thought of one?”

At this moment I would mime peeking a card in the deck.

This switch is a very easy and very subtle switch that goes unnoticed. I recommend the

use of this additional phase. For the effort of a little pre-show work and the price of a

deck of cards per performance it closes the routine perfectly. It also appears as the

performer has the power to read minds with or without the use of a deck.

NOTES:

With this brief overview behind us we will move onward to the staging of the routine

along with the performance and pacing of the revelations used throughout. Work with

the deck in hand to master each of the phases above independently so you will be able to

perform the sequence we are about to outline without worrying about each of the methods

used, as each should be automatic to you.

THE EXTENDED TOSSED OUT DECK STAGING AND ROUTINE:

Now that we have an understanding of the various principles at work within the sequence

we can deal with the staging of the routine to create a theatrically pleasing sequence. I

have chosen to provide my own script only as a guide to showcase the staging of the

routine as it is too close to who I am as a performer and my show and thus would have no

value to you besides that of an illustration.

With the gimmicked deck wrapped in a set of rubber bands in your outside right jacket

pocket and a matching ordinary deck in your left outside jacket pocket wrapped in

matching rubber bands you are ready to begin.

NOTE: I find it very odd that most performers remove a deck from

a box only to later wrap it in rubber band. I make a point of

not having a visible box for the deck at any point in the

routine. Rather I chose to wrap the deck in the rubber bands I

will later use to throw the deck around the audience. This small

point I believe makes a difference on a subconscious level to

your audience. I also like the fact that many audience members

own a deck of cards for many years, often without a box. Think

back to the times in which you have been offered a deck of cards

in someone’s home, handed to you wrapped in rubber band.

I chose to use three separate rubber bands for the binding of the

deck rather than a single larger one due to the extra security

they afford protecting against breakage. If the larger one

breaks, the routine has failed so by using three tied together,

if one breaks, the others will hold the cards from falling apart.

I tie three rubber bands by looping them through one another,

which creates a chain of bands. By tying the bands in this

manner it helps ensure that later in the performance there are

multiple bands at hand available without fumbling.

Begin by removing the deck and taking the rubber bands from it. I place these rubber

bands around my wrist where they remain until they are needed once again.

Approach a spectator on your right hand side. Spread the deck in front of his or her eyes

and have him or her confirm they are all different.

Move slightly more to your right and have two spectators stand. Have each person think

of a card instructing them:

“I want you both to close your eyes. In a moment I am going to snap my fingers. When

you hear this I want you to open your eyes and whatever card you happen to see, lock

into your mind.”

At this point I touch each spectator on the shoulder as I address him or her and say:

“I want you to think of a red card and you to think of a black card just to make sure you

don’t both think of the same card.”

Snap your fingers and allow a brief moment for your spectator to lock the image of one

card in their mind. Close the deck and ask they each remain standing and repeat the

name of their card over and over in their mind.

Next approach a spectator to your left. Have them select a card by riffling the deck.

Peek the writing, alerting yourself to which card they have seen and remember this card.

Repeat this with one further spectator a little further to your left.

NOTE: I create a simple mnemonic at this moment to tie the card

to the spectator. I would recommend you do the same. Typically

I create a twisted image using the spectators most prominent

feature such as a “big nose” linked to whatever card they have

peeked. I might think of five hearts hanging from a big nose.

Continue:

“I want a few more of you involved.”

Ask four separate people to stand and continue:

“Sir I am going to throw these cards at you. Please catch them. I have rubber banded

the deck which I like to think of as a time and a labor saving device to keep the cards all

together.”

NOTE: This small joke serves the purpose of reminding the

spectators not to remove the rubber bands from the deck. It in a

concise and clear way ensures your spectators will follow your

directions. I really advocate the delivery of instructions in

clear and understandable ways, if you can do this and get a small

laugh along with it, all the better.

Suiting actions to words remove the rubber bands and snap it around the deck doubling

the band a few times. Ensure they are wrapped around the unglued short edges of the

deck. This forces the spectator’s to open the deck to the TOD card.

“When you catch the deck hold it face down in your hand and when I snap my fingers

open the deck to one card. Lock the image of that card in your mind and throw the deck

to the next person.”

At this time I perform the actions I wish the spectators to do. Placing the deck in my

hand face down and peeking at a card. I then continue:

“Turn your card into an image. I just saw the three of clubs. I might think of three golf

clubs lined up against a wall. Just turn the card into an image.”

Here I include the name of a card not used in any of my revelations. I now have the deck

returned to me and place it in my empty outside right jacket pocket.

I turn my attentions to the first two spectators and continue:

“Victorian arm chair scientists believed that if you were to look into the eyes of a murder

victim you would see the reflection of the murderer staring back at you. They some how

believed that the image was retained in the victim’s eye. Look at me. Good. Now it’s a

little confusing because the card wasn’t the very last thing you saw. However, I what you

to keep repeating the name of your card over and over in your mind…”

Here you will perform the pumping system as outlined earlier in the manuscript to reveal

the two cards thought of after the spectators confirm you are correct. Then, have them

sit, moving your attention to the spectators on the right of the audience. You continue:

“Good, I am getting warmed up now. Look at me and repeat the name of your card over

and over again. Do not give anything away with your reactions. Excellent. The X of X

and the X of X correct?”

At this point you will name the two cards peeked.

I now make my way to the stage and silently study the last four standing spectators.

Suddenly I say:

“The X of X, X of X, X of X and the TOD Card”

Here I am naming three random cards and my force card the TOD Card I continue:

“I think I got you all. If in a moment all four people sit down I expect a thunderous

round of applause. Please sit down if I got your card!”

All four spectators sit and the applause is indeed thunderous, and as the applause begins

to die down I cheekily state:

“Any questions?”

I then seem to notice someone in the front row and continue:

“Sir you have a question. Are you thinking of a card?”

The spectator confirms they are indeed thinking of a card. I then remove the ordinary

deck from my jacket pocket and act peeking at a card as I ask:

“Did you see a card or just think of one?”

The spectator explains that he just thought of a card. I now hand the deck to someone in

the front row saying:

“A gift, there is no expense spared in this show. Sir please, stand for me. Think about

your card. Ok. It’s a red card. The 5, no, no the 7 of Diamonds?”