The Prearranged Pack
As the title indicates, the cards contained in the pack are, previous to the performance, placed in a certain order the performer knows by heart. To aid in the memorizing and recalling of this order, a sort of formula or artificial aid to memory is generally employed. The most popular one is the following:
Eight kings threatened to save,
Eight, King, Three, Ten, Two, Seven.Ninety-five queens for one sick knave,
Nine, Five, Queen, Four, One Six, Knave.
The words of this verse suggest, as will be observed, the values of the cards printed below them. The performer must also have a regular order of the four suits, for instance Hearts, Clubs, Diamonds, Spades. Thus, the first cards of the prearranged pack would be: Eight of Hearts, King of Clubs, Three of Diamonds, Ten of Spades, Two of Hearts, Seven of Clubs, etc., the last card being the Knave or Jack of Spades.
A number of tricks explained in this book depend exclusively upon the use of the prearranged pack. When the reader, who is advised to create a formula of their own, arrives at the description of these tricks it will be obvious the many ways the prearranged pack may be employed to good advantage.
This trick is from the book “Card Tricks and How To Do Them”, published by A. Roterberg.
Related posts: