David Forrest - Autobahn

Introduction Another ACAN routine? What's the deal Dave? Some of you may be familiar with my other ACAN routine, 'ROUTE 1', and may very well be asking yourself the above question. Well, first of all, 'AUTOBAHN' is actually a wee bit older than 'ROUTE 1' in terms of conception. Secondly, 'AUTOBAHN' is truly a 'workers' solution whereas 'ROUTE 1' is a bit more 'purist' in approach. Finally, 'AUTOBAHN' is designed with the table hopper/stroller in mind - it's designed specifically for close-up conditions. This, coupled with the fact that it's just too damn practical for words, prompted me to release it. I think you'll be glad I did! I had a real desire to perform the 'Any Card at Any Number' plot for the type of audiences I perform for most often - people sitting around a table or people standing around awkwardly, making idle chit-chat with 'colleagues' and 'clients' Uuugh! (It's these type of gigs that remind me how lucky I am to be a lowly magician!) I couldn't really find anything suitable. Most ACAN's are designed more for the parlour or stage type environment and simply could not be adapted for my needs. So, I thought about the problem for a while (a LONG while actually) and eventually came up with a reasonable solution. That reasonable solution has since been tweaked and re-modeled into the lean, mean ACAN machine that you are about to be privy to. Keep in mind that everything in the ad copy is true. No memory, no maths, no sleight of hand, no gaff cards, deck is examinable, spectator does the counting and on and on… If you know of a more workable, close-up solution that trades off less of the effect than this version, I'd love to hear about it but my bet is that I won't be hearing from any of you any time soon! Enjoy. All the best, Dave.

You will need 1. A stack of your own business cards. 2. A 'blank both sides' piece of card the same size as your business cards. 3. Two Sharpie markers. (preferably red) 4. A glue stick 5. A deck of cards 6. AUTOBAHN artwork (last pages of this manuscript - print both pages)

Preparation Take the deck of cards from its case. Discard all advertising cards and Jokers. Stack all 52 cards in the following order from the top down: 3H, AC, QC, AH, 5C, 6S, 10D, AS, 4D, 6D, 9H, 5S, 8S, QS, 2H, 2S, 9S, 2D, 5D, KD, JC, 9D, 3S, 7C, 7S, JS, 10H, 6C, KS, AD, 2C, KH, 10S, 8H, 3D, 8D, QD, 9C, 5C, QH, 7H, 4H, 8C, 5H, 4C, KC, 10C, JH, 4S, JD, 7D, 3C, 6H. This is a completely random stack. It's the one I've been using for ages. I simply shuffled a deck and made the cheat sheet to show me the order. It's worth pointing out that if you already have a mem-deck system that you use (such as the Aronson stack), you don't need the cheat sheet at all. Simply arrange your deck into the known order and use that. OK, cut out the small narrow cheat sheet from the Fig.01 page you printed out. You'll find that it has the same dimensions as the long side of a card case. Using the glue stick, attach the cheat sheet to the left hand long edge of the card case. Fig.01. You'll see that the cheat sheet has been split into red and black and that each suit is individually identified by its own suit symbol. This makes locating the correct card, and subsequently the number attached to it, an absolute breeze! Now, if you want to test your new stack/cheat sheet combo simply cut to a card and use the card case to identify the numerical position at which it lays - piece of cake! Note: to preserve space, the number '10' is displayed simply as '0' on the cheat sheet. I realize that the numbers are very small. I don't have any problems with my

eyesight but I realise that it may be a problem for some of you. With this in mind, I've included a second, larger cheat sheet that is the size of the entire back of the card case should you find the smaller one too difficult to read. Now that you can correctly identify the numerical position of any card called for quickly and easily all you have to do is provide a means by which to have a spectator 'choose' that number. To do this you'll create a stack of 'Random Number Generators' (From now on, 'RNG's') using your own business cards and the artwork provided on the sheet you have printed out. Before going any further, let's have a closer look at the RNG itself. In order that you may quickly locate the correct number on the RNG in actual performance, the numbers have been arranged in such a way that is not quite as random as it may first seem. Firstly the numbers are 'grouped' into three areas. The numbers 1 through 19 are located in area 1.The numbers 20 through 40 are all located in area 2 and the numbers 41 through 52 are all located in area 3. Fig.02. In addition to this grouping of numbers there is also a 'zig-zag' pattern at work that will help you to locate any number you require very quickly. Fig.03 shows the zig-zag pattern that will lead you through the numbers 1 to 10. Fig.04 shows the zig-zag pattern that will lead you through the numbers 10 to 20. Fig.05 shows the pattern that will lead you through the numbers 20 to 30. Fig.06 shows the path through 30 to 40. Fig.07 shows how

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you get from 40 to 52. As you can see, there is a slight 'leap' to be made between 40 and 41, but otherwise you will always find that by simply locating a number that is close to your target number you will only be a few 'zig-zag' moves away from your goal. This system, coupled with the fact that the presentation has been constructed to allow you more than ample time to locate your target number makes this a very easy routine to perform. OK, let's create some RNG's! First, cut out all the RNG's from the sheet. Now take the double blank piece of card stock and glue one RNG onto one side of it. Place the card on the table in front of you so that the numbers, from your point of view are the right way round. Turn the card stock over, so that you are looking at the blank side, by taking the long edge furthest away from you and turning the card over towards you. In this position, glue a second RNG to the card, again so that the numbers from your perspective are the correct way round. You have basically created a double faced RNG card. If you flip this card over widthwise, the numbers on the RNG should always face the same way. With this complete take a number of your business cards and stick RNG's to the back of them. One will be used for each performance so make as many as you think you'll need. However many you choose to make, you'll need the same number of regular, unprepared business cards. Stack the business cards in the following order, from the top down: Regular business card - blank side up, Double faced RNG card, Stack of RNG business cards - RNG side up, Stack of regular business cards - blank side up. All the RNG's should be in the same orientation. Ok, we're nearly there. Take one of the red Sharpie markers, remove the cap and

allow it to completely dry out. This won't take as long as you might think and if you're anything like me you'll have a pile of 'almost done' markers lying around anyway! In case you haven't guessed already, this effect uses the 'dry marker principle'! If you don't know what that is, you're in for a REAL treat! Finally, take the cap of the marker that is drying out and buff one side of it with a bit of sandpaper. If you don't have any sandpaper, take the pen cap outside and rub it on the ground a few times. This 'roughing' of the cap will allow you to distinguish between the dried out pen and the regular pen with touch alone. Place the stack of business cards, the deck and both markers into one pocket - I use my right jacket pocket. You're ready to go. When you would like to perform AUTOBAHN, remove the deck from your pocket. (Another nice thing is that the nature of the effect justifies a second deck being brought into play) Just by holding the deck naturally, the cheat sheet can be read easily. "I'd like to try something here just before I go. I shuffled this deck thoroughly last night and immediately, without looking at any cards or noticing the order, I slipped them back in the case. They haven't been out since! I'll be honest with you now, this doesn't always work. The sheer randomness of the idea is such that it really shouldn't work and therefore, rarely does. The actual odds of a successful conclusion are, quite seriously, astronomical!" "Madam. I'd like you to simply name any card in the deck. Don't make it an obvious card, like the Ace of Spades but name out loud, any card you think of." Let's say she replies "The Nine of Diamonds!" "The Nine of Diamonds? That certainly is an obscure card and most definitely a free choice on your part, yes?" You are holding the deck in your left hand. As you say the above, go to your right jacket pocket with your right hand and remove the working marker along with the stack of business cards. It is at this point that I check my cheat sheet for the numerical position of the Nine of Diamonds - it's in position 22. Look at fig.08 This shows how the cheat sheet can be brought directly into your eye line in a natural way as

the right hand goes to the right pocket. The right hand comes out of the pocket with the business cards and the working marker. You will transfer these items into your left hand, so either place the deck down on the table or, and this is my preference, place it in a spectators hand and ask them to place their other hand on top. This may seem bold, but in actual fact the odds of them discovering the cheat sheet are very slim indeed. First off they are definitely not looking for anything at this stage and secondly, if they were to see it I doubt whether a lay person would even comment on it. At the end of the day, it's up to you but trust me, placing the deck between the spectators hands is by far the stronger option. OK, so you now continue: "As we go along, so that everyone remains on the same page, I'm going to record the choices that are made."

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Fig.10

As you say the above line, un-cap the marker and replace it on the bottom of the pen. Now position the stack of business cards deep in the left hand as in fig.09. Now gain a break under the top two business cards - a regular un-gimmicked card and the double faced RNG - and move them forward as in fig.10. You now have access to an RNG card as well as the blank side of a regular business card. You are going to write down the name of the selected card, in this case, the nine of diamonds, and as you do you'll also make a small ink dot (actually, a small 'tick' looks more realistic but it doesn't really matter) just on the edge of the number 22 circle on the RNG. Don't mark the circle dead centre. (Fig.11.) Being slightly off allows you a nice subtlety in a moment. You have all the time Fig.11

it takes to write down the name of the card to locate the correct number and mark it. And, you can always ask, "What was the card again? The Nine of Diamonds - that's right.", should you need to buy yourself a wee bit more time. So, you've marked the correct number and you've written down the chosen card. Move both the 'up-jogged' cards back onto the stack. Re-cap the marker and put it in your right jacket pocket. Turn the stack of cards towards your audience and show them that you have written down the 'Nine of Diamonds'. As you display the card remove it from the stack with the other hand. This will reveal an RNG card underneath it, but it's completely blank - which is nice! Fig.12. Hand the card to the spectator who named the card and ask Fig.01 them to keep it safe before drawing attention to the RNG card. Continue: "Now simply naming any card is certainly a very fair way to have a card chosen but it's not truly a random event. At the end of the day, you still made a choice and some may argue that certain people are prone to choosing certain cards or whatever. A truly random choice is almost impossible to achieve - almost! You see on the back of this business card here I have the worlds smallest 'Random Number Generator'! This contains the numbers 1 to 52 arranged randomly. I don't want to show it to you for too long because in order to achieve a truly random event, you shouldn't be familiar with the positions of any numbers. In fact I'm going to have you place it behind your back…" As you go through this spiel, gain a break under the top two cards of the stack. Turn both cards over as one and lift off the top card only. Thanks to the double faced RNG card everything looks cool but you've actually switched in the marked card. Hold the card face down in the left hand as the right hand places the rest of the business cards into the right pocket. As it dumps the cards, the right hand feels for the rough cap of the dry marker and removes it from the pocket. OK, this is the most important part of the routine - it's essentially out of your hands for a few moments and a successful outcome depends on your ability to give clear and implicit instructions. Un-cap the marker and replace the cap on the bottom of the pen. Continue:

"OK, I want you to take the pen and the card behind your back and simply dab the tip of the pen once on the card. This way, we'll arrive at a completely random number. Be careful you don't get ink on yourself and just dab the tip of the pen once on this side of the card." As you are saying this, you still hold both the pen and the card and are demonstrating everything that you are telling them. When you are sure they understand, hand them both the card and the marker and have them carry out the task. When they have done that, ask them to bring both items back out in front of them again. Immediately, take the pen from them, re-cap it and drop it into the right jacket pocket. Continue: "Take a look at the numbers on the back of the card. Did you make a mark?" They'll see the mark you made earlier and confirm that they have. "OK, which number would you say that your mark is closest too?" This is the subtlety I mentioned earlier. To the rest of the group it appears that the spectator is being given a certain degree of freedom to 'choose' a number. In reality, there is only one number they could honestly say the mark is indicating, and that's the target number. This is the subtle brilliance of the dry marker principle that I feel is often overlooked. If you look at it from the spectator's point of view, there is absolutely no way in the world you could have influenced which number would be chosen. You don't even look at the card after they have it, it's marked by them, behind their back and then they even get to 'decide' which number they feel the mark is closest to. It truly is, as Max Maven would say, a thing of terrifying beauty! So, your spectator informs you that they feel the mark lies closest to the number '22'. You are now in a place where magicians feel all warm. There is a deck in one persons' possession, it's been there from the start and could not have been manipulated in any way. One person holds a business card with a freely named selection on it. And, yet another person holds another business card with what really appears to be a randomly determined number on it. Other than that, there is just you and as much bullshit as you feel is necessary between here and the successful conclusion of the effect. I'm not sure of your own particular brand of bullshit, but here's a wee sample of mine:

"So, let's think about this. You have the shuffled deck and you've had it from the start. You named a card. It was a free choice and it's written on the business card right there. Show it around. (She does) The Nine of Diamonds! And finally, you selected a number in a way that is completely random - not even you could have known what the number would be - correct? (They will agree) Remember I said the odds on this turning out would be astronomical? Well, now you see why, right?" Take the deck from the spectator who is holding it. Clearly show empty hands and be as fair and deliberate as possible. Remove the cards and hand them back to the spectator. Show them the inside of the box and have them confirm that it is empty. "Please deal the cards to the table*, face up, one at a time, counting one card for each number and stop when you reach twenty one." *If you're strolling, place both your hands out in front of you, creating an impromptu table onto which the cards are dealt. The spectator deals the cards one at a time, face up. Stop them when they reach twenty one and milk it a bit more. "I haven't seen the Nine of Diamonds yet but I'd have to say, and you'd have to agree, that if the next card, the card at position 22 in the deck, is the Nine of Diamonds then we'll all have witnessed something a little out of the ordinary. Turn it over." The 22nd card is turned over. It is the Nine of Diamonds. Your spectator's brains begin to melt simultaneously. To re-set simply place the Nine of Diamonds face up onto the dealt cards and place the whole pile face down onto the un-dealt cards. Slip the deck back into the case. To re-set the business cards, simply move one regular card from the bottom of the stack to the top - that's it. You're re-set!

Finally Well, there you have it.An anytime, anywhere ACAN designed specifically for use in close-up performing situations. I hope you get as much use out this as I have over

the years - it’s been a good friend to me so please, take care of it! A quick note on the RNG artwork - it is designed to fit the majority of business cards. If you have an exceptionally small, enormously huge or oddly shaped business card and are having problems making things work with the provided artwork simply e-mail me at [email protected] and I’ll send you a JPEG of the image that you can stretch, squeeze or manipulate however you see fit. That’s all for now. As always, thoughts and comments are always welcome and may be directed to [email protected]. And, if you’ve never stopped by the website, please do. It’s a wonderful little corner of cyber-space! www.full52.com Cheers, Dave Forrest.

Cheat Sheets

Random Number Generators