If you still have never heard of the astonishing Jim Steinmeyer Nine-Card trick, then you are in for a treat.
In fact, this simple car trick goes by a few names, which include “The Nine Card Problem“, “Nine-Card Spell“, “The Impossible Nine” and “Nine Cards“.
I like to call it “M-A-G-I-C Spell Card Trick“.
It is because the magic happens when you spell the five-letter word MAGIC as you deal the playing cards.
This simple spelling card trick is credited to illusion designer Jim Steinmeyer.
For the uninitiated, Jim Steinmeyer is a well-known designer of stage magical illusions, TV specials and theatrical special effects.
He is the creative mind behind the famous vanishing and reappearance of Statue Liberty illusion, performed by David Copperfield in 1983.
Among the amazing stage illusions which Jim Steinmeyer has created are: “Audience Acupuncture“, “Biting Yourself On The Forehead” (self-levitation inside a box), “Incubus”, “Windshear“, “Walking Thru A Brick Wall” and others.
- Check out a big list of free books by Jim Steinmeyer.
RELATED: Get your free latest book by David Copperfield.
David Copperfield’s History Of Magic By David Copperfield, Richard Wiseman & David Britland
Click on any of these: Link 1, Link 2
NOTE: This book is also found in Z-Library.
Nine-Card Spell Trick
This self-working nine-card spelling trick by Jim Steinmeyer was first published as “Nine-Card Spell” in the 1999 book “Mental Magic: Surefire Tricks To Amaze Your Friends” by Martin Gardner.
Then Steinmeyer published this cunning card trick as “The Nine Card Problem” in the MAGIC Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 9, May 1993, and later in his own 2002 booklet, “Impuzzibilities Series (3) Subsequent Impuzzibilities: Another Collection of Strangely Self-working Conjuring“.
So, what is this Jim Steinmeyer Nine-Card trick or “The Nine Card Problem?
This is one amazingly simple, yet powerful magic trick, you are sure to fool your friends or family members.
Check out this self-working Nine-card Problem trick created by Jim Steinmeyer.
Jim Steinmeyer Nine-Card Trick
You don’t need any shuffling skill, sleight of hand, palming or with help from a stooge.
You can even perform this easy nine card trick over the phone.
It is more of a mathematical trick.
Here is one way of doing it:
1. Get a deck of playing cards.
2. Shuffle them as you normal do, and then deal the nine cards face down into three piles. In other words, three cards in each pile. You put away the rest of the cards.
3. Ask some one to choose or point out any of the three piles. Then you turn the selected pile over to reveal or show the card to the person to memorize that card.
4. First you stack the other two unselected piles together. Then only you stack the selected pile on TOP of them.
5. In other words, the selected pile should be on TOP, and the memorized card should be now the THIRD card from the top.
6. Assume the chosen card is the ‘Four of Hearts‘. Then spell out the word F-O-U-R, as you deal one card for each letter, face down onto the table.
7. Now, you should have four cards on the table, while the remaining five cards are still in your hand.
8. Stack the remaining five cards on TOP of the four cards on the table.
9. Next spell O-F as you deal out two cards on the table face down.
10. Then place the remaining seven cards on TOP of the two cards lying on the table.
11. Pick up the whole stack of nine cards from the table, and this time spell out the word H-E-A-R-T-S ,as you deal the card face down on the table.
12. There should be six cards on the table, while the remaining three cards in your hand.
13. Again stack the remaining three cards on TOP of the pile of six cards on table.
14. Pick up the whole stack and now spell the word M-A-G-I-C and deal each card at a time.
15. When you reach the letter ‘C’ (the fifth card), turn that card over and it should be the chosen card.
16. It should be the four of hearts.
That’s all.
How does the 9 card trick work?
The method of this trick is based on a mathematical principle.
Nine cards In Three Piles Card Trick
The method of this nine-cards-in-three-piles spelling card trick has been discussed in Mathematics Magazine, Volume 88, Issue 2, 2015.
It analyzes the trick, its permutations and even construct new versions of it.
This Jim Steinmeyer Nine-Card Problem trick has been made famous by David Copperfield back in 1993, in his television special, “Fires Of Passion“.
Here is the video clip:
Mental Magic: Surefire Tricks To Amaze Your Friends By Martin Gardner
Click on any of these: Link 1, Link 2, Link 3
NOTE: It is called “Nine-Card Spell” on page 76.
NOTE: If you want to save the borrowed book from Internet Archive Lending Library for your own keeping, read this tutorial: “How To Save Internet Archive Borrow Books: 1 Hour And 14 Days“.
World’s Greatest Card Tricks By Bob Longe
Click on this: Link
NOTE: It is called “The Impossible Nine” on pages 40-42
KNACK: Magic Tricks: A Step-By-Step Guide To Illusions, Sleight Of Hand, And Amazing Feats by Richard Kaufman
Click on any of these: Link 1, Link 2, Link 3, Link 4, Link 5
NOTE: It is called “Nine Cards” on pages 2-5.
You can also find this same trick in the professional speaker, mentalist, and magician Joe Turner‘s old website.
The post title is “A Trick That Doesn’t Use A Full Deck“.
By the way, way back in 1957, there was this equally amazing
spelling card trick by Jack Yates called “Miracle Mix-Up“.
There are many other spelling card tricks versions, together with Lie Detector (with spelling) routines found in many free books on the internet, which I would published them in the future.
- If you are interested in self-working card tricks, check out this big collection of free Steve Beam magic books.
DISCALIMER: I do not publish or host any of the books here. They are copyrighted to their respective owners. All content cited is derived from their respective sources.
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