INST RUCT IONS
Big Blind by John Morton
Thank you for purchasing Big Blind, below you will find the paper instructions that are in
the pack followed by video performances and explanations.
Effect
Five coloured cards are mixed up by a volunteer (face down) while the magicians back is
turned; the magician then shows 5 poker chips in the same colours as the cards. Under these
impossible circumstances the magician still manages to place the corresponding poker chip
on the correct card.
Presentation
Five cards are shown, each has a different colour on the front and five coloured poker chips
(one to match each card).
You (the magician) mix the cards up, colour side down, and place them in a row.
Hand the spectator the poker chips and ask them to place one chip on the back of the card
they think matches the coloured chip.
They normally get one of two correct, sometimes none, either way it doesn’t matter.
You then go on to explain the probability of matching all the correct chips to the cards is 0.037
so it’s not surprising they didn’t get them all right.
You explain that if you did it by guessing, you too wouldn’t get them correct. BUT if they know
which colour the cards are then, by “reading” them, you can have a better chance.
Hand the cards to the spectator and get them to put them into any order they wish and place
them face down on the table as you did, but so they know what colour each card is.
This done, you next hand them the poker chips and get them to place one above each card
that is either the correct colour or an incorrect colour (to catch you out).
You explain that you will attempt to guess if they told either the truth and placed the correct
colour chip above the card or lied and placed a false coloured chip.
You place the other set of cards face down in the place you believe them to be.
After turning all the spectators’ cards over you see if they were lying or telling the truth then
prove you knew exactly what they would do by showing every card matches correctly.
All that’s left is to accept your applause.
Method of the effect
The method of the trick is simple! The back of each card is marked (see picture below):
All you need to do is look at the geometric design in the bottom right hand side (SEE IMAGE 1)
and think of it as a clock, the top vertical line is always 12 o’clock, this works with the card
either way up.
One of the lines will be slightly wider than the others (SEE IMAGE 2), in the case of this card
the wider line indicates 1 o’clock.
With practice this small detail will be easy to spot (if you know what to look for).
NOTE: If you are struggling to see the wider line then you can always put a thin black line
across the correct line (don’t forget to do it for either way up).
The colours are as follows:
1 o’clock = Black
2 o’clock = Red
3 o’clock = Green
4 o’clock = White
5 o’clock = Blue
Back ground to the effect
I have always liked the concept of “smash and stab” where by you smash your hand onto
three out of four polystyrene cups avoiding a spike and have constructed several of these
effects for other people. This while being dangerous is only one in four I wanted to see if I
could guess five out of five,
I hope you like this effect; while the method may be simple it tends to fly by the spectators.
Enjoy.
John
